The Forge Summoner
by LauncesMechinist
Summary: Long ago, a great power walked upon the land. A being with the power to create objects from memory using mana. This being was called the Forger. During the war against Malefor, the power was sealed away and lost for many years. But now the power has begun to awake and called its new master into the old world. Can Neal Foster survive long enough to master his new abilities?
1. Lost Magic, Found Magic

Hey everyone, it's me again. Sorry for simply throwing this project out there without preamble and I _really_ tried to supress my focus from pushing the idea further without finishing some of my other projects.

Unfortunately, it's a fight I lost.

I'll try to keep my head on other projects for the moment so I'm just posting the first few chapters up at the moment so let me know how you like it.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN SPYRO'S UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Prologue: Lost Magic, Found Magic

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 _Magic is a power unlike any other. Healers use it to cure the sick, mend the wounded, and save the dying. Alchemists use it to create concoctions and potions of near limitless ability and enchantment. Enchanters can imbue common, everyday items with any number of spells to fit a certain purpose. These are the powers that can be taught, however, there are certain powers that can only be born._

 _Of all the types of magic that can only be learned through bloodline, the ability to use mana to create from only memory is one of the most prized of all. This technique, lost to the realms for many centuries, is known as Forge Summon._

 _And those who use such abilities are known as 'Forgers'._

 _-Treatise on types of Magic both Known and Unknown, Practiced and Lost, Guardian Volteer_

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The first thing he was aware of was swirling darkness. It was odd because he'd never seen anything like this before in his dreams. For the first time since he started having these strange dreams he seemingly was able to walk into and out of when he turned ten, Neal Foster, now 23, couldn't pull himself from this one. In the darkness, there were flashes of lightning, violet in color, and menacing in nature.

All the while he heard roars, shouts, and mutterings. Above other things, he saw strange rings floating around marked with strange symbols that he neither recognized yet at the same time his mind worked to identify them as if he'd seen them before.

He was a young man who, in such a short amount of time, had seen much, and wished he could forget half of it. His carefree days of sitting at home playing Dungeons and Dragons with his childhood friends ended after graduation from high school. He and his friends had enlisted in the US Coast Guard thinking it was a safer occupation than serving somewhere where you might get killed, wounded severely, or any other things...

... Like Danny.

Daniel 'Danny' Foster, callsign Rocker, was Neal's older brother, and a Marine fighter pilot. He piloted the new state-of-the-art F-35 jet fighters off a carrier overseas. On August 6, he had spoken to his brother about his desire to enlist and his brother had told him to try the Marines or the Navy that way they'd have a chance of serving together. The next day two Marines came to his house to inform him and his mother that 'while on an ground support mission on a classified operation, 1st Lieutenant Daniel Foster's plane disappeared from all radar in the area'. For the moment he was listed as MIA but that didn't last long.

The following morning, search crews found wreckage scattered from once side of the desert to the other, all indications of some sort of explosion. No body was recovered. That had been six years ago. Neal didn't give up on learning to fly though, a few college courses he had learned enough that, once he joined the CG, he was assigned as a chopper co-pilot.

That ended on the fifth anniversary of Danny's death as on a training excersize, the chopper began to go out of control and crashed in the Gulf of Mexico. Neal's two friends out of High School had been his crew on the chopper. He'd fought to keep them alive but it was no use. He himself had badly broken his leg and also broke a hip. The docs said he could recover well enough but the psycological aspect of it had seen him refrain from getting back into a chopper and also the guilt at being able to do nothing to save his friends was enough that, after a few weeks recovery, he was granted a hardship discharge from the CG.

He'd been a civilian for two weeks before landing a job as a crop duster. Flying a beat up old bi-plane that may or may not have been leftover from the First World War to dust crops was no where near comparable to flying choppers but, still, the old plane _did_ have some merits. He actually started preferring the plane over a chopper.

It wasn't long before he started pushing himself and soon started performing stunts for air shows on the side of cropdusting. As Neal's dream faded from soaring above the clouds (having discovered a love of fixed wing aircraft, he always dreamed of being a pilot in the Great War pursueing the Red Baron and other great aces of the bygone era) to the malevolent storm, this time, the voices were clearer than before.

 _"We must_ _ **do**_ _something! Malefor cannot be allowed to get his claws on-"_

 _"Yes, yes, I know._ _ **Believe**_ _me I know. The magic, it must be sent somewhere... but that's just it,_ _ **WHERE**_ _? It would have to be a place or plane in which Malefor can never get it... perhaps even another world... Ah ha! I know_ _ **just**_ _where to send it!"_

A crack of thunder pierced the sky and the voices changed.

 _"Shadra, I have a mission for you."_

 _"Anything, Lord Malefor. Does Cynder require my aid in gathering the Guardian's powers?"_

 _"No. She is doing everything_ _ **exactly**_ _as I wish done. No... I need you to seek out a powerful spellcaster called the Forger, and bring him, or her, before me. The mages who guard such magic have sent it somewhere. I_ _ **will**_ _have that power."_

 _"It will be as you command, Master."_

Another burst of thunder, followed by a cry of rage that nearly deafened him.

 _ **"YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME! I. AM. ETERNAL!"**_

Then the clouds seemed to back away, turning from dark violet to soft, royal purple.

 _"Shadra! Malefor is gone! You don't need to fight for him anymore!"_

 _"You are wrong Cynder. He is merely sealed away. Once I find the Forger, I will be able to make him craft a device or spell to free him!"_

 _"Spyro! Help me stop her!"_

 _"I... I can't Cyn... my... my powers have yet to return... What is this Forger she spoke of?"_

 _"I don't know. I wish Ignitus were here. If anyone would know. He would."_

The clouds lost the purple light and instead morphed into pillars of grey stone that seemed to then form a great library of some sort. Shocked at the sudden change of his dream, he turned around and bumped into a teal-scaled dragon who glanced down at him at first with shock and then with kindness.

"So... here's where they hid you... They were wise to do so..." Neal gaped at the dragon.

"Who... Who are you? And what do you mean here's where they hid me? This... This is a dream... It HAS to be!" The dragon snorted.

"I understand your confusion. Crossing the planes of existance from one to another is no simple feat. To have accomplished so, you must have cleansed your mind of all things to do with your abilities lest your curiousity drive you to replicating the magic used to send you here and returning prematurely."

Suddenly, more runes appeared about Neal and this time the symbols within started to squirm and mesh until, much to his shock, he could read them. The dragon nodded.

"You mind has begun to awaken. Good. I fear that your time in this other plane is coming to an end. Neal Foster, though you are human, you bear within you magic from this world, as such, I have your book here as well as the Book of Foresight. It says here that, if you ignore me now and go up in your plane tomorrow, you will suffer the same fate as your brother. The engine will sieze and you will die. However, if you come with me, you will live. I cannot guarentee a better life but, as you have nothing here to hold you back anymore, perhaps you would care for one more adventure? Or perhaps, an adventure that is actually _real_ and not imaginary?"

Neal didn't want to believe the dragon. He made a habit of going over the old crate everyday to make sure nothing happened when he was up there. Then again, he had heard that oftentimes planes with perfect maintenance records often crashed due to unexplainable problems. He had no family left, no friends, why face a future that may or may not see him rise the next day? He turned to the dragon and nodded. The dragon in turn smiled.

"Now then, I seem to have neglected to introduce myself, I am Ignitus, former Guardian of Fire, now Chronicler of the new age. And you, Neal Foster, are what we know as a Forger, one who can use magic to summon inanimate objects into reality. Normally, Forgers are limited to what we know of in our world but, given that you have spent so much time in _that_ world, you doubtlessly know a few things from that world as well." Neal nodded.

"Are there limitations?" Ignitus nodded.

"Yes, you can only Forge summon things that you know how they work. Let me see... ah, here's an example using something from your world. If you know how one of these automobiles works, you can Forge summon it to use. On the other hand, if you don't know how something works, you cannot create it" Neal nodded.

"Okay so no creating space shuttles, nuclear reactors, cruise ships, aircraft carriers, lightsabers, androids, or laser rifles." Ignitus looked to him curiously.

"Lightsabers? How can light be a saber?" Neal chuckled.

"It's something from _this_ world. I... will refrain from making a Star Wars joke." Ignitus chuckled good-naturedly.

"I suppose that's for the best. Now then, I suppose I'd best warn you, while we've been talking, I've been using magic to open a portal and bring you to this realm. Hence the reason our conversations are growing clearer. Now, when you awake, I would suggest you head for the city of Warfang, once there, find two dragons, Spyro and Cynder, they'll be able to protect you from those who want to use your powers for evil." Neal shuddered, remembering the dream.

"Shadra..." Ignitus nodded.

"Yes, like Cynder, she was corrupted by Malefor and still serves him, even though he is gone. She'll stop at nothing to capture you and force you to create something that can break the crystal and free Malefor. I also would suggest that once you awake, you should test your abilities by Forge summoning a few things, clothes, armor, maybe a weapon or two. Something that you know how to use." Neal nodded but then turned back.

"Wait, how _do_ I Forge summon?" Ignitus chuckled as the vision faded.

"You'll know. Those who have had your magic before always seemed to figure out how to do it from the start. Just picture it in your mind and think on the basic parts that make it what it is."

Neal awoke with a start in a field of bright yellow flowers. He gazed around and saw nothing and no one near him and shrugged.

"Well, there _are_ worse places to awaken..." Neal then remembered Ignitus' advice and, seeing that he was still in his sleeping clothes, closed his eyes and visualized something familiar.

Immediately, he started pieceing together the costume he'd worn to a Comic Con several years ago back in high school. It was a black shirt, black jeans, military boots, Police-issue riot armor, and a grey leather trenchcoat. When he opened his eyes, he found the items laying neatly spread out before him along with a large book that wasn't there before.

Opening it, he saw a ghostly quill appear and then gawked in amazement as the book started writing itself. The heading was Class 0 Forge Summons. Immediately, his clothes and armor appeared as if sketched into the book along with what they were made of and what made them special.

 _Ranger Tactical Armor:_

 _Capable of stopping low caliber ballistic weapons and melee attacks, this armor is issued to Veteran Rangers who have served countless hours in the field. Helmet and gasmask not included._

Neal then began to think of a weapon. For some reason, the day before he had spent his entire day off watching a World War I television special. His father had been a gun collector by hobby and had a little book he had carried with him with a list of firearms he'd wanted to own. At the top of the list for pistols had been a German Luger pistol. However, when Neal tried to visualize it, he found he was drawing a blank with something.

A soft glow from the book got his attention and he turned to see a partially complete diagram of the Luger pistol as well as a note written in what looked to be an exact match to his father's hand.

 _'The Luger is possibly the most famous and recognizable pistol in the world but for all it's fame the weapon has a severe drawback of being mechanically complicated and difficult to produce in great quantities.'_

Indeed the diagram was missing a good portion of the reciever as well as the firing chamber so Neal set the idea aside and then started thinking of another weapon.

The next was another German pistol, the Mauser C96 'Broomhandle'. This weapon, being somewhat simpler, began to be drawn in the book at the same time he was piecing it together in his mind. Then came the hurdle. Neal realized that he also had to create the ammunition that the pistol used and, knowing that a model had been made that used the 9mm round, decided on that.

A soft _whooph_ got his attention and a leather pistol belt housing a seemingly fresh from the factory C96 complete with eight clips of 9mm ammunition was laying on the armor. Once this was done, Neal decided to go for a few more summons before departing. First, simply because walking around without something to cover his head in a seemingly medeval age didn't appeal to him, he Forge summoned a WWI German 'coal scuttle' helmet with no markings.

Next, he created a 'Knuckleduster' which was the combination of a double-bladed knife, brass knuckles, and a steel spike pommel, Then, for a second sidearm, he forged an M1911 .45 Colt Automatic, and then, for want of a longer ranged weapon than the pistols, he started thinking about a rifle. This time, he had a strong memory.

His father had lined up a man in Maine willing to trade an old rifle he'd found in a storage locker he'd bought for one of his father's revolvers. The guy dealt in handguns so a rifle was of little use to him. The weapon was sight unseen and the day it arrived Neal's father had nearly gone through the roof. There, in the weapon crate, was a Royal Army issued 1916 Lee-Enfield Mark III SMLE Bolt-action rifle.

The .303 caliber beast had been difficult to restore to firing condition and Neal remembered the rush of firing the rifle on the range that day and watching his father painstakingly break it down to clean and oil the parts. The sound of a heavy object landing nearby made him look and again, he saw that what he had thought had been brought into real life. The rifle, complete with sling, bayonet, five sets of extra strip clips, and even a kit for mounting a scope were nearby.

Neal reveled in his success but was then aware of a great drain on his physical being and he glanced to the book and saw it flip back to the very first page, the ghost quill reappear, and start writing.

 _'Nothing can be Forged for free. There is a cost to what is created. Test your limits with a few basic summons but wait until you become more skilled before tackling something more complex. A standard rule is that the more components or moving pieces, the greater the strain. It takes less energy and mana to create a sword or a bow than it does a catapult or a crossbow.'_

Neal nodded and closed the book and found that a large Army-style satchel had also been created nearby. As the weariness passed, he changed out of his sleeping clothes, donned the summoned clothes, armor, and weapons, and then, gazing around again, he sighed as he realized something.

"I didn't ask Ignitus _how_ to get to Warfang!"


	2. A Brave New World

Well, I guess watching all those Battlefield One vidoes of my cousin kicking ass online got me thinking about the story again. I'll tell ya, he's one helluva sniper on both Battlefield One _and_ Battlefield 4. Heh, saw one he had... ah crap can't remember what rifle it was on Battlefield 4 but he was on a factory map and there was a guy on the roof about to take cover. Another sniper on my cousin's team had the M82 and started blasting away at the guy. It was hilarious.

The guy would run to a smokestack for cover and just before he got there the other guy would fire, missing him and striking the smokestack just in front of the guy which, apparently freaked him out, so he turned and ran for the other stack just for another round to hit _that_ one just ahead of him.

This went on for about fifteen maybe twenty seconds and my cousin's just watching this guy go back and forth like one of those old shooters where you hit the guy he goes in the opposite direction and you hit him again and he reverses, you know what I mean? Anyway, he lines up the shot, dials in the range, fires, and scores a perfect headshot on the guy as he's halfway across the roof. Bear in mind that the position he uses is damn near on the _opposite_ side of the map.

What's funny is that the other sniper decided to get indignant and started yelling at my cousin about how the hell he did that and started trash talking and he just replies: 'Nope, you know what? It took me one shot to do what you couldn't even do with _eleven_. And the worse part is you got the best damn sniper rifle in the game and I'm using the first one people unlock.'

Well anyway, enough with the funny stories, just bear with me until I get this story idea out of my system...

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 1: A Brave New World

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Neal was walking in the meadow for a good while now if his memory was accurate about solar positions. It seemed that there was yellow flowers for as far as the eye could see and a large mountain range beyond that. After stopping for a moment, Neal thought of something and opened the book. Since apparently the thing could read his mind, he started thinking of something. He remembered seeing Pirates of the Carribean and saw Jack Sparrow's enchanted compass which always pointed to what the holder desired most. He knew how compasses worked but not the enchantment. He hoped that was enough but when he opened his eyes, he saw the book flip to another page and start writing again.

 _'Forge Summoning is the art of creating items from memory or from experimentation. While summoning mundane and everyday items is easy, an enchanted item cannot be Forged because it outside of a Forger's power. To create an enchanted item, create the base item, in this case, a compass, and then proceed to the nearest magician's home, wizard's library, or sorcerer's tower and have them enchant it for you.'_ Neal grunted.

 _(Well that's helpful...)_ The book made a footnote.

 _'You're welcome.'_

With a snap, the book closed, allowing Neal to place it back in his pack. He sighed and then gazed around again. He then noticed the sun was starting to set and, as much as he liked camping, he decided it would be better to find some sort of civilization first rather than bunk down in an unknown land. Although he was pretty sure summoning a tent was within his means. He started off again and vaguely caught the sound of horns in the distance.

He glanced to the west was able to see downhill at several objects moving through the tall grass further down the plains. They looked to be giant monkeys of some sort and they were astride large boars. He turned his glance ahead and saw what looked like a blur passing through the grass. Occasionally, something would fly up, arc, and then drop down onto the monkeys and one would scream and fall, a feathery shaft protruding from its body.

 _(An archer...? Well, I suppose this makes sense. Still, I wonder why he's being chased...)_

Neal decided now was as good a time as ever and Forged a pair of binoculars so that he could see clearer. There was apparently thirteen of those mounted monkeys. Then he glanced at the archer and felt his jaw drop.

He'd seen cheetahs before at the zoo, this one was anything but. It was upright on two legs, clad in light brown leather armor, had blue cloth binding the armor, and held what looked like an old Welsh longbow in its left hand (er... paw?) and was drawing the string back for another shot.

At that moment, something rustled behind him and to Neal's shock the cheetah was tackled from behind by a dismounted monkey that had snuck up behind it. He then heard the monkey's laughing as they slowed and what looked to be the leader of the troupe advanced. The monkey spoke in loud, confidant tones, it was no trouble for Neal to hear him, for the leader was definately male judging by the tone of voice.

"So! We finally have you, the infamous Skylar of the Cheetah clan. You really thought you could free your fellows from Lady Shadra and there not be consequences?! She is _pleasantly_ looking forward to torturing you for what you've done. Your insult to her warrents no lesser punishment. But first, I think I'll make sure that you can't run from us anymore, nor fight back... hmm... Since you won't be needing that bow anymore where you're going perhaps your hand? And maybe a leg while we're on the subject of escape..." The cheetah, Skylar, huffed.

"Do what you will. But know that even if I fall, I have _still_ dealt a blow to Shadra and freed my people from her grasp. My fate is inconsequential. I accept that. So do your worst _ape_." The leader snarled.

"Resiliant to the last. Alright, nevermind Shadra torturing you, I'm sure she'll find other toys to amuse herself. With **you** however, I think you need to be taken down a notch. I think perhaps, since you are a little taller than me, we should shorten you. Yes, I believe you to be at least a whole head taller..." The ape drew a wicked looking sword and prepared to deal the fatal blow. Neal reacted out of pure instinct and training, unslinging his rifle, chambering the first round, sighting, and then pulling the trigger.

The report of the rifle shattered the calm like a thunderclap. There was a metallic _clang_ and the ape looked to see his sword shatter from the force of the bullet. He immediately started looking around for the source of the attack. Neal chambered another round, aimed and fired, this time striking the leader's boar mount in the flank and sending the creature into a frenzy, throwing the lead ape and charging at it's own kind and running down three apes before vanishing in the tall grass. The leader looked up the hill and scowled.

"You there! Who the hell are you?! Why are you interrupting me? You break my sword, scare my hog, why'd you do that?! What concern is this worthless cat to _you_?" Neal suddenly had a flashback to an old Chuck Norris movie and smiled.

"This is J. J. McQuade, Texas Ranger!" The ape looked to his fellows who shrugged and the leader looked back.

"Texas what?" Neal groaned at that. The ape, still confused, then glared.

"Hey you, stand up so I can see you!"

Neal rose from his crouched position, standing up to his full height of six foot seven. Almost at that moment, a gust of wind whipped by him, making the loose flaps of his grey trenchcoat start flapping. With the sun behind him, the apes had to squint to see him. Neal saw two of the apes go wide-eyed and turn to their leader who just started, open-mouthed.

One ape grabbed Skylar's bow and, perhaps acting out of instinct, drew the bow and loosed an arrow. However, it was all bravado as the arrow was poorly aimed and embedded itself in the ground barely halfway up the hill. Neal grunted, hefted the rifle, aimed and fired.

Unlike the ape, he didn't miss.

The round flew true and struck the ape in the chest. The force of the round caving in the shoddy plate armor and knocking the ape backwards into the grass. This made the ape leader angry and he started frothing from the mouth until finally he drew a dagger and held it to Skylar's throat.

"That's _it_! Drop your weapon and come down here _NOW_ before I kill this miserable cat! I tell you I'll kill him! Right now, come down here!" Neal glanced at Skylar who seemed to have regained some hope. He set the rifle down, and started down the hill. The ape leader smirked and snarled to his underlings.

"When he gets down here, take him from behind. I don't know who or what he is but he'll make a fine toy for Shadra." The ape then looked as Neal came down and chuckled.

"Well now... what did you say you were again? A Texas... Ranger? I can honestly say I've never seen one up close before." Neal caught the rustling behind him and gave a small smile.

"Well, you're in luck. 'Cause you're about to get an even closer look."

The ape leader looked at Neal curiously before he opened the left side of his coat (where he kept both the Knuckleduster and the bayonet for the rifle) produced the bayonet, and threw it like a throwing knife. The blade flew so fast the ape leader had no idea what he was reaching for until he felt a sharp pain in his exposed right shoulder and dropped the dagger. Looking at his shoulder, he saw a dagger far larger than the one he had been holding sticking out of his shoulder and started howling in apin and rage.

Following up the thowing attack, Neal drew both the C96 and the M1911 and simultaniously fired both right and left into the grass, killing the two apes who were about to try and take him from behind. He then leveled both pistols forward and glanced at Skylar.

"Get down!" Skylar dropped to the ground, prone, and Neal opened fire.

The C96, with it's 9mm round, he used against the apes, as, with the exception of their leader, they had no armor. The M1911, with it's larger .45 round, he used on the boars as they tried to turn and attack. If the large round didn't kill them, it wounded them so badly that they at once decided they'd had enough and took off whether their riders wished it or not (though, given the successful attacks Neal was using, most of them were willing to flee).

By the time he fired the last rounds from both pistols, the apes had fled, leaving their wounded leader and the dead behind them. As he holstered the pistols, the ape leader, realizing he was alone, turned and ran into the brush, screeching all the while as the bayonet jumped around in the wound. Neal closed with Skylar and, drawing the Knuckleduster, undid his bindings before rising again.

"You alright?" Skylar took a moment to check himself over before nodding.

"I think so. Thank you, for saving me." Neal nodded.

"No problem, I have a feeling if the roles were reversed you'd have done the same." Skylar chuckled.

"Indeed, although, probably in a less... _flashy_ fashion. I've never seen weapons like these before. Where are you from?" Neal chuckled.

"From a place far away from here. I was originally from Galveston, Texas. Then yesterday... something happened and I found myself here." Skylar nodded.

"So... you said you are a Texas... Ranger? Is that something special?" Neal chuckled.

"Yeah... the Rangers are an important part of Texas, both in law enforcement and in baseball. Sadly though, I just said that to try and unnerve that guy. You see, where I come from, no one messes with the Rangers, the law enforcement Rangers that is, and it's said that no one has ever harmed or killed a Texas Ranger and lived to tell it. I just forgot that I wasn't in Texas anymore. I mean, what does being a Texas Ranger mean to someone who isn't from where I'm from." Skylar nodded understandingly.

"So... if you're not a Ranger... what are you? Umm... you _did_ say your name was J. J... something, right?" Neal chuckled.

"Another Texas bit. Name's Neal, I'm a former pararescueman for the United States Coast Guard." Skylar nodded.

"So... that's the truth?" Neal nodded.

"Yep. Had a strange dream, turned into a vision, then a large teal dragon telling me to find... uh... Spyro and Cynder... and that I was something called a 'Forger'." Skylar looked to him.

"A Forger? What's that?" Neal nodded and knelt to the ground, closed his eyes and then pictured a replacement bayonet for the one he had lost. When he opened his eyes, the weapon was before him and Skylar was in awe.

"Basically, it seems I can create objects out of thin air as long as I know what they're made of, how they work, or if I've used them before." Skylar nodded slowly before going to collect his bow and arrows.

"If you're looking for Spyro and Cynder, the two heroes, you'll need to head east to Warfang. It's a few days journey but, as the sun is setting, and the plains aren't safe to travel at night, I'll escort you to my village and you'll be able to spend the night and get some provisions for your journey there. Plus, with Hunter being appointed as the clan's representative to the city, we have a scrying pool that lets us send messages back and forth. You'll need to ask Chief Prowlus first before you can use it though." Neal nodded.

"Much obliged to you. Just let me collect my gear and then we'll be off."

As Neal trudged back up the hill, the book suddenly felt warm. He opened it and saw it writing, rather angrily.

 _'Be careful who you tell your abilities to! The ancients sacrificed much to keep Forge Magic out of the hands of those who would use it for evil! You_ _ **never**_ _know who else may be listening or scrying you!'_ Neal nodded and closed the book as he reached the place he had set down his rifle and cursed angrily.

Where he had left his rifle was nothing but trampled grass and a set of ape-like footprints walking away.

"Neal? What's wrong?" Neal turned to Skylar.

"One of those apes must have been playing dead. It got my rifle." Skylar paled.

"Can they use it? Make more of those weapons?" Neal shrugged.

"I don't know. I hope not. Either way, they probably lack what they need to make the weapons by hand anyway. I'll just Forge a new one when I have the time." Skylar nodded.

"Well, no time like the present. Besides, I'm a bit curious to know a little more about these weapons of yours. Can they be used for hunting?" Neal nodded.

"They can. My race has used firearms for everything from hunting to protecting to exploring to warfare for almost five-hundred years. It's only in the last two hundred or so that firearms have really advanced." Skylar looked to him.

"How so?"

"About four-hundred years ago, in my world, the standard firearm was called the 'smooth bore musket'. It was a weapon that fired only a single shot, wasn't very accurate, and was hell to reload. Here, let me show you." Neal thought back to seeing a rifle at the Springfield Armory Museum and Forged the 1795 Flintlock Musket. He held the weapon for Skylar to see and nodded.

"That's a musket. For two centuries, this was the type of weapon used from everything from hunting to warfare. Soldiers would line up in ranks and fire 'volleys' into the enemy ranks. The muskets weren't accurate at range so you needed to fire off a lot of them to do any real damage. Once someone discovered that carving grooves into the barrel made the weapon more accurate, the musket was replaced by the rifle." Skylar nodded.

"So, what was the rifle that you used at first?"

"That was a Lee-Enfield Mark III. It's a design that dates over a hundred years back to The Great War." Skylar raised an eyebrow.

"How can a war be great?" Neal shrugged.

"Don't know who called it that but it is likewise known as World War One. Other nicknames called it 'The Great Adventure' or the 'War to End All Wars'. Basically, it was several armies across the entire world fighting each other. It was the first modern war that was fought across the world on multiple fronts. The most commonly known is the European Front where English and French and later American troops battled German troops. There was also the Asian Front, the Arabian Front, the Russian Front, the Austrian Front, and the African Front." Skylar gave a low whistle.

"And you said it was World War _One_? There was another?" Neal nodded.

"Yeah, the 'War to End All War' didn't do as advertised. National interests and punishing the defeated came before restoring the world. Old rivalries and grudges played a part in creating a treaty that was anything but fair and outright embarrassing. Two decades later, a soldier who had fought in the war got into politics and made the entire nation fall to madness. He was stopped, of course, but not before the world payed a heavy price... somewhere near fifteen million lives lost, six million of those ordered by the madman himself..." Skylar shuddered.

Neal nodded and then thought back to the Lee-Enfield but then felt the book glow again. He pulled it out and read what it wrote.

 _'Always keep your creations close by. As a Forger's talents and creations are_ _ **always**_ _in high demand, you never know when they may decide to 'sprout legs' and 'walk off'. Forging requires mana and your reserves are low. A good night's rest will replenish it but for now, try recyling the weapon you summoned for a demonstration. Once that's done, try your request again.'_

Neal focused on the musket, making it fade away and then thought back on the Forge and then decided for something else. This time he thought of a semi-auto rifle like the M1 Garand but sadly he was missing a component so he tried the next best thing. He opened his eyes to see an American Springfield 1903 rifle. He then changed the .303 rounds to .30-06 and nodded to Skylar.

"Alright, I'm set. So, where to?" Skylar pointed east across the meadow.

"Home."

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The sun had set by the time they reached the village. As they approached the gate, a cheetah on guard started yelling.

"He's alive! Skylar's alive! Open the gate!"

Almost at once the gate opened revealing seven armed cheetahs who looked to Skylar with relieved glances but then snarled and readied their weapons as they saw Neal. One of them glanced to Skylar.

"Skylar, what is the meaning of this? Bringing an outsider to our gate?" Skylar raised his hands.

"It's alright. He's the hero who saved me. I would not be alive right now if not for this person's heroics. Please, he seeks an audience with Chief Prowlus to contact Warfang. He'll only be staying long enough to rest from his journey, buy some supplies for the trip, and be off in the morning." One of the cheetahs growled.

"Why should we aid him?" There was a cough from behind that made them turn to see a cheetah in a red cloak come up behind them. They all stood aside and nodded to the cheetah, immediately giving Neal the notion that this was an important member of the village. Skylar smiled and closed with the cheetah and gripped his hand in a firm grip.

"Hunter, I'm glad to see you're here and not in Warfang at the moment. This man, he needs to go to Warfang. He's not from here and now, in rescueing me, has made himself a target of Shadra's minions. Plus, he has some unique... ' _abilities_ ' they may want to see." Hunter looked to Neal and then looked to his weapons.

"His weapons, armor, and clothing is odd, that's for sure... so then, what is this ability you speak of?" Skylar smiled.

"I believe he is what the legends call an Attokor, one who creates something from pure mana." Neal suddenly felt every single pair of eyes assembled on him ans he glanced to Skylar.

"Uh... I don't know what an Attokor is but, I'm pretty sure I'm not one." Skylar shook his head.

"No Neal, Attorkor is our word for a Forger; someone who creates great works either for peace or war. The moles, atlawa, manweersmalls, and even a few other races, including the apes, have other names for one of your talents." Neal sighed and glanced to him and then noticed the excited looks of the cheetahs gathering around him.

"Why do I have a feeling I'm about to become _very_ popular in this world..."

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The ape leader growled as he rubbed his shoulder where the bayonet had been removed and the wound bound up. He now stood before Shadra, a dragoness who, while she was the same size as Cynder had been when she was corrupted, she was undeniably an adult and was of a completely different scale color. Her's were flame red with orange undertones, her underbelly was charcoal black with spots of red here and there like glowing embers, her horns were ivory white and curved back elegantly.

Her body shape was undeniably female and her tailblade was shaped like a cross between an arming sword and an epee. Most striking though were her eyes, flame red with a hint of the corrupting darkness underlying them manifesting as a small swirling violet cloud that seemingly glowed when she was excited.

Or angry.

She gazed at the weapon another ape had brought before her and now gazed at the bayonet that lay beside it. Chuckling, she smiled, revealing all her teeth, a sight which unnerved the leader greatly.

"So... A Forger _has_ returned..."


	3. Breakfast, Enchantment, and a Challenge

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I've got _way_ too much time on my hands these days... what started as an idea turned into a two-part upload and now has a third part tacked along with it...

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 2: Breakfast, Enchantment, and a Challenge

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Just as quickly as Neal had been shown hostility from the cheetah's; as soon as Skylar had called him an 'Attorkor', they immediately showed him to a hut reserved for visiting travelers and traders. As he sat there on a carved wooden chair, he opened the Book of Forging (which is what he had taken to calling it), and scrolled through its pages looking for some ideas. Stangely, there was a section of the book within the book that was bound with only a note written on it.

 _'Not to be opened until you can better control your abilities... and don't try to sneak a peek, I'll know.'_ Neal chuckled.

"Sounds like something my high school girlfriend once said..." Neal suddenly thought of something and looked to the book.

"Hey, what about reference materials? Could I summon other books that I had read before and go over them?" The Book glowed for a moment, then flipped to a blank page and the word _Reference Section_ appeared. A small note was then scribbled underneath.

 _'While a book technically cannot be 'Forged' it can be manifested and remembered. I am merely to aid you in deciding what would suit the situation, like a wizard's spellbook, I will store the mechanical and elemental composition of anything you Forge. If you wish for reference materials, just remember what books you want and I'll diagram them from your memory. That's how all Forgers did so in the past.'_ Neal nodded and then thought of something.

"Just how old are you?" Another footnote.

 _'Old enough to know that you should never ask any self respecting enchanted book their age.'_

Neal nodded and then closed his eyes. Before he knew it, he was asleep, dreaming, yet at the same time, he kept seeing several books appear before him, open, and flip through their pages before vanishing when completed.

When he was in high school, he had been a student of history as well as a bit of both a nerd and an athlete. He kept his nose in the books and kept his body at peak condition. His best subject was actually the late 1890s and early 1900s. His report on the cause and effect of World War One had actually earned the respect of his teacher who had forwarded the report to a state archive who, once they had read it, were floored by the way it was written.

No sooner had the last book closed and vanished then did he slip into a sound sleep. It seemed almost a moment later that a loud noise broke him from his slumber and he shot awake to find himself still sitting at the desk with the Book still sitting open, the transparent quill busy writing, drawing, and diagraming everything he had seen in his dream. He turned to see the source of the noise and saw a young cheetah with a plate of food that she had dropped, staring open-mouthed at the book. Neal gazed at her and nodded.

"Good morning." This got the girl's attention and she nodded but kept her eyes on the book.

"Does it always do that while you sleep?" Neal watched the book for a moment and shook his head.

"No, but I had a busy night. Trying to recall every piece of mechanical knowledge I ever learned so the Book could transcribe it. Apparently all to make me a better Forger, or in your people's case, an Attorkor." This made the girl visibly relax and Neal nodded that it was alright to watch.

As he glanced at the book, the diagram it was drawing was suddenly clear to him and he smiled.

"I'd forgotten about that book..." The girl turned to him.

"What book?" Neal pointed to the diagram.

" _'Early Aircraft of the Second World War'_. You see, in a period of time where flight was being discovered an built upon, some nations still used biplanes while others were quickly building monoplanes. This diagram is blueprint of a British Gladiator which saw action in 1940 at the Siege of Malta, holding off wave after wave of Italian C.R. 32s and and C.R. 42s until help could arrive." The girl nodded at the drawing but then remembered and gazed back to the spilled tray.

"I'm sorry, I was bringing you breakfast but I was so startled by the book that I..." Neal nodded.

"It's alright. Is there anywhere else I can get something?" The girl nodded.

"Yes, the cooking hut is always open in case of our hunters. I believe that Hunter and Skylar are there now preparing to go off on a hunt." Neal nodded.

"Perfect. That'll give me a chance to talk to them and, if they'll let me, I'll go hunting with them." The girl nodded.

"Alright, oh, you can leave your gear here. Orders from Hunter that no one is to disturb you or your belongings. Not that any cheetah would. We despise thieves." Neal nodded.

"Good to know. Alright, lead on."

As Neal stepped outside, he was aware that, despite being called a village, the Cheetah settlement was more like a small town. The outside wall was large and stong looking, there were dirt trails but houses aplenty, even a few longhouses were visible. In the rear of the town was a larger house, likely Chief Prowlus' residence, then there was a windmill, and a watermill, and even more houses. The long building they were walking towards Neal guessed was the cooking hut. Besides that was what looked to be a trade store, and a smithy beside that. There were also several large gardens on the other side that grew many different types of vegetables and some fruit trees in the back.

 _(All the makings of a medeval town... these cheetahs are doing far better than some human towns of that age that's for sure.)_ Then he saw something interesting, a small hut with blue smoke rising from the top. The girl saw his glance and nodded.

"That's Mystra's tent. She's an enchanter. She also does magic for the younger ones while their parents are off hunting or gathering things." Neal nodded and refrained from the D&D reference. Then he looked to her.

"If I created something, do you think she would enchant it for me?" The girl shrugged and a voice came from behind.

"Depends. What sort of enchantment would you like?" Neal jumped and turned to see a young cheetah clad in violet robes behind him, smiling gently to the girl before redirecting her gaze to him. Neal quickly recovered his train of thought and nodded.

"Something to tell me how much mana I have left. I uh... know that every time I Forge something it takes a bit of mana, depending on how complex it is, I'd just like a little reminder as to how much mana I have left." Mystra smiled and nodded.

"A sensible thing for one who practices a lost art. Mana is important for all beings who study and use magic." Neal nodded and looked towards the cook hut.

"I'm just on my way to breakfast." Mystra nodded.

"As am I. Create what you'd like to enchant there and I'll have it ready for you by the end of the day." Neal nodded and together the three of them entered the cook hut. As soon as Neal entered, he spotted Skylar and Hunter who waved him over. He was amazed at what was before him. Biscuits, ham, bacon, eggs, chicken, milk and juice. All of it on a mammoth scale as if the table was meant to serve several dozen people at once. When Neal posed the question to Skylar, he nodded.

"Indeed, we're the early risers and the first to arrive. In order to get the best choices we have to. No, hunting is not a one cheetah job, it consists of teams going into the plains to bag whatever they can and then bring it back to be cooked, smoked, salted, and preserved." Neal nodded and then motioned for Mystra and the girl to take a seat before he did which earned a nod from Skylar and Hunter. Neal chuckled at their nods.

"I was raised to always offer a seat to a lady before seating myself." Mystra nodded.

"Sounds like wherever you're from you were raised right." Neal nodded.

"Yep. Anyway, before I create something let's get a bite because, quite frankly, I haven't eaten anything since the day before yesterday."

The breakfast was silent and casual with a few small conversations between Skylar, Hunter, and whoever else was arriving at the moment. Soon the table was full of cheetahs who were eating, smiling, talking to one another, swapping stories, even joking with one another. It made Neal think of how his brother always acted and he wiped a tear from his eye. Mystra noticed this and spoke.

"What's wrong?" Neal shook his head.

"Nothing... it's just... I remembered all the times like this when I was young with my family growing up. My older brother always joking at the table, getting the rest of us to laugh..." He sighed. Skylar nodded.

"My sympathies for your loss. How did it happen?" Neal nodded and smiled.

"Like me, my brother was in the service, the military. Different branch though, I was a Guardsman, he was a Marine." Skylar nodded.

"What's the difference?"

"In the Guard you work to protect the homeland in times of war and patrol in peace, ever watchful, ever vigilant. In the Marines you go where the fighting is and you do whatever you can to make the enemy regret picking a fight with your nation. The training is brutal, but the result are undisputable. I don't play favorites with the branches but the Marines are some of the best trained soldiers in the world... uh... _my_ world at least... In my honest opinion, only the SEALs rank higher, but that's only because they do the jobs that they'll never get credit for." He paused to take a drink of milk from the cup befire him and continued.

"It is said that if every mission a Navy SEAL has accomplished ever came to light, every single member of the teams would be awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. But they aren't because if such things _did_ come to light it would be dangerous for them and their families. Anyway, my brother, he was a pilot, like me. Only I flew rescue choppers and he flew aircraft, jets." Neal sighed.

"One day I was just speaking to him, asking his opinion of what branch of service I should join and the next, two Marines show up to our house, dress blues, regretting to inform us that my brother had apparently been shot down and killed while providing air support to a pinned down group of UN Peacekeepers. He died so that they could live." Skylar nodded.

"A noble sacrifice, still, you would trade it all for one more day with him, right?" Neal nodded. Hunter then smiled.

"You know what? I'm eager to see that... rifle of your's in action. How about you, Skylar and I form a hunting team and when we return, you rest and we can set out tomorrow for Warfang." Neal nodded.

"Sounds like a plan to me. But first-" Neal closed his eyes and then ran through all sorts of ideas for a mana device. Finally, he settled on an aviator's chronograph, only this one had a wider face and was divided into three sections: green, yellow, and red. The clock hands worked as they should but had an underlying hand that would move as his mana depleted.

When he pieced it together and opened his eyes, everyone at the table was silent in awe as where his hand had been was now a watch, roughly the same size as a half-dollar piece, with a leather band and clad in silver. He then nodded that it was correct and passed the device to Mystra who nodded.

"An impressive display. I can even see how practical such a device would be. I'll get this enchanted and, like I said earlier, it should be ready by the time your return." Neal nodded his thanks and turned to Hunter.

"So, when do we set out?" Hunter smiled.

"As soon as we're ready." Neal nodded and then thought of something.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll go get my equipment ready." Hunter and Skylar nodded as Neal rose and left for his hut.

Once he was back inside, he saw that the Book had finished transcribing everything in his mind and a little note to the side that made him chuckle.

 _'Ever get your nose_ _ **out**_ _of a book?'_

"Not when I was interested in it's contents. Now that you've got all of them transcribed, it makes you just as interesting." The quill appeared and wrote another footnote.

 _'Flatterer.'_

Neal chuckled before settling down and turning the book to the Class 0 summons and then started thinking of a camo suitable for the meadow. He then remembered seeing his brother dressed up in a ghillie suit he had bought years ago and then decided to go with that. A soft 'whomph' answered him and he turned to see a sniper's ghillie suit laying on the bed.

Neal changed out of the trenchcoat and the clothes from yesterday and donned the new ones he had also summoned, placed the armor over the clothes and then worked the ghillie suit over the armor before turning to the rifle and looking the M1903 Springfield over before nodding to himself and strapping the rifle and ammo along with his M1911. Just as he rose though, he had a thought and looked to the book.

"Since you now have everything I've ever read in there, did I ever read anything on suppressors for rifles and pistols?" The Book glowed once and flipped to a page in the weapons section and he saw the diagram of a suppressor and nodded.

"Hunter and Skylar use bows which are silent, the least I can do is try and silence the weapon so that I don't scare away all the animals." He managed to modify the rifle and pistol, giving them barrels that could accomodate a suppressor and then Forged two of them and attached them to the weapons. Satisfied with his work, he rose, restrapped the weapons to his suit, and headed out the door.

As he approached the gate he saw Hunter, Skylar, and several other cheetahs waiting. They caught a glimpse of Neal and chuckled openly which Neal shared. Skylar looked to him.

"What is that? You look like a pile of walking grass." Neal nodded.

"That's the point. I figured if I was going hunting the least I could do was camoflage myself so that I'm harder to see and also fixed my weapons so that the noise won't scare away the animals we're hunting." Skylar nodded.

"Indeed. The deer we hunt are skittish at best and will likely take off at the sound of thunder that rifle makes. So, how did you fix it?" Neal unslung the rifle and tapped the suppressor.

"This is a suppressor. They're used to quiet weapons that generate too much noise when fired. For example the rifle sounds like a thunderclap when fired but then the suppressor is attached it sounds more like a book falling into a hay bale." Skylar looked at the weapon and nodded.

"Impressive. To be honest, the reason you're going with both me _and_ Hunter is so that in the event you scare the deer off we can pick up the slack and still bring in our usual numbers." Neal chuckled.

"Understood, but fair warning, I'm an expert marksman with the rifle, suppressor or no." Hunter looked at the weapon and thought of something.

"How far can a rifle like that shoot? It can't be more than a few hundred yards at best." Neal chuckled.

"Actually this particular rifle is rated for at least two- _thousand_ yards." Hunter looked skeptical but nodded. However, a cheetah Neal didn't know growled and pointed to him.

"Alright then, prove it! We have a little time before we start the hunt. Go to the practice range and we'll see how good you are." Neal looked to Hunter who nodded and the group started for the range.

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The archery range was bigger than Neal expected it to be. There was enough room for twenty archers to take place and shoot at several targets ranging anywhere from one-hundred yards to an optomistic one-thousand yards. The cheetah who had challenged him (whose name Skylar told him was Larke) stood at a post, drew an arrow effortlessly and loosed, striking the bulls-eye of the five-hundred yard target.

Neal opened the bolt of the rifle, pulled a five-round stripper clip from his pack, loaded it, closed the bolt and aimed down the iron sights at the five-hundred yard target. However, Hunter set a hand on the rifle to stop him.

"One does not set their sights on the farthest target first. First, you must show that you can hit the target at close range as well. Aim for the closest target first, and then work your way downrange." Neal nodded, shifted his aim to the one-hundred yard target, and fired.

He was rewarded by seeing Skylar remove his hands from his ears in disbelief as the suppressor actually did as Neal had said it would. The report was just like someone dropping a book into a bale of hay. The round struck the red fabric covering the bulls-eye. Neal looked at Larke who nodded.

"Good, at least you can hit close range targets. Now try the next one. I warn you though, two-fifty is the best that most hunters can achieve. Only experts like myself, Skylar, and Hunter can hit the five-hundred mark."

The next target was two-hundred and fifty yards. Neal worked the action, removing the spent round and loading another and aiming downrange. He squeezed the trigger and the weapon fired. Once again, the round was accurate and struck the bulls-eye. The cheetahs nearby whistled low in amazement. Larke nodded.

"Good. You pass for a hunter, now let's see if you can really do as good as say you can. Aim at the five-hundred."

Neal chambered the next round, aimed at the target, and fired. The only indication that he had hit the target was that Larke's arrow suddenly splintered as the round struck it and nailed the bulls-eye. As the ruined arrow fell to the ground, Larke's jaw went slack and he turned to Neal. Nor was he the only one. Hunter and Skylar and all the other hunters gathered were in awe. Neal turned to Hunter and pointed to the farthest target.

"If it's not presumptuous of me, would you mind if I took a shot at the thousand yard target?" Hunter recovered, smiled and nodded.

Neal gave a nod to him and then to Larke and chambered the next round, aimed at the farthest target, and fired. The round struck the red fabric covering the bulls-eye once more. Neal nodded and lowered the weapon and looked to Hunter who was scratching his chin thoughtfully. At the same time, Skylar looked on in disbelief as did all the other archers. Larke gazed at the target in the distance and then looked back to Neal and chuckled.

"Well then, I guess that answers my question. Alright then... Neal, was it? You won this challenge. I still have another though, one that all new hunter have to pass. You're going with Hunter and Skylar, well then, a hunter's challenge. You must claim at least five kills before the day is done. But be warned, nothing small like rabbits. No, you must kill five deer or anything else that Hunter okays. Do you accept?" Neal turned to Hunter.

"Is this traditional?" Hunter nodded.

"You are an outsider who has been granted shelter here. If you wish to join the hunt, it is expected that you pull your weight." Neal nodded.

"Very well then. I accept your challenge."


	4. Hunting On The Great Plains

Well everyone, Happy New Year! It is now 2017!

You know? As a history lover, I can't help but think back to how many things happened many years ago. Think about it.

As a tip of the hat to 2016, in 1986 the International Whaling Commission banned the practice of whaling.

In December of 1777, two-hundred and forty years ago, General George Washington and the Contenental Army was camped at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania.

In June of 1837, King William IV of Great Britain was succeeded on the throne by his niece Victoria. She was crowned in 1838. Queen Victoria ruled the British Empire for 64 years (the longest reign of a monarch in British history until today's Queen Elizabeth) and her rule is universally known as the Victorian Age.

Also in September of 1837 an inventor by the name of Samuel F. B. Morse demonstrates the telegraph to stunned onlookers.

During the Mexican-American War in 1847, American forces led by Major General Winfield Scott captured the city of Veracruz, one of the largest port cities in Mexico. This was the first time the city was occupied by American forces. The second was in 1914 when several American citizens were arrested and American forces intervened.

In March of 1917, the Russian royal family was overthrown by the Bolshevik Revolution, effectively removing Russia from the First World War. One year later the Bolsheviks executed Czar Nicholas II and his entire family.

On August 6, 1917 the United States of America declared war on Germany, entering the First World War. A few months later (ironically on December 7, 1917) the US declared war on Austria-Hungary.

It is worth noting that the declaration of war passed almost unanimously with only one saying 'no'. Later when the US entered the Second World War, it was the same, almost unanimous with an exception of one, the same person who voted 'no' to the WWI declaration also voted 'no' to the WWII declaration.

In May of 1937 Neville Chamberlain became Prime Minister of Great Britain. During his term, he was faced with Germany and Italy 'rattling the sabre' and agreed to several demands made in an effort of 'appeasement'. In 1938, he was recorded as waving a signed peace of paper and declaring 'peace in our time'. The next year, the world was at war again. He was replaced by Winston Churchill in 1940 and died soon after.

Though hostilities officially ended in 1945, the Second World War didn't end there. In 1947, after nearly a year and a half of deliberations, several treaties were signed in Paris, ending the European chapter of the Second World War. The Pacific chapter of WWII wouldn't truly end until 1951 when Japan signed peace treaties with over 48 nations (not including the Soviet Union which was later signed in 1955).

These are but a few interesting facts from our history, some you know, some you may not have known. Anyway, 2016 is gone, 2017 is here, and 2018 is now 364 days away. Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 3: Hunting on the Great Plains

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Neal carefully crept through the tall grass of the plains, mimicking Hunter and Skylar's every move. He managed to catch sight of the prey they were tracking, a large herd of deer that seemed to have no inkling that they were being stalked. Through his scope as they had approached, he had seen the group comprised of roughly seven bucks, male deer, over twenty does, female deer, and all but six of them had yearlings, baby deer, with them.

The leader of the herd was, as Hunter had pointed out, the largest of the male deer. The particular one that Neal believed the leader was a deer the size of which that, if this animal had been in Texas, he'd have had every hunter in the state trying to bag him. The dominant male was large, seven feet tall at the shoulders, well muscled, and his antler rack was the largest Neal had ever seen.

There was a deer joke about a 'thirty-point buck', well, this one may not have been thirty points but he was close enough. The spread of the antlers was enough that if the deer could have wrapped his antlers around a tree trunk with no trouble. He pointed the leader out to Hunter who nodded and then pointed to the others.

"That male deer... he's about the right size we want. If you can take him down, he's your first kill. Be aware though that with a group this small, we rarely kill more than three animals and never harm the babies. You've got your target, Skylar and I are going for two of the does with no little ones. Once we loose our arrows, you take your shot." Neal nodded and slowly raised the rifle to his eye.

To him, using iron sights on a rifle was nothing. He was an expert marksman with the rifle (as attested by the seventeen trophies he won in high school and in the USCG for Best Marksmanship) it was no trouble for him to take aim at the lead buck and give the go-ahead to Skylar and Hunter.

The moment their arrows left their bows, the deer perked up their ears, likely hearing the sound the bowstring makes when it springs back into place after release. He lowered the aim on the deer and squeezed the trigger.

The suppressor worked like a charm and the round sped on and struck home right through the chest cavity behind the shoulder of the deer. No sooner did the male deer drop dead than the arrows from the bows come flying in, striking the two female deer. Hunter's went down cleanly but Skylar's bucked and started crying as it tried to get away.

By this time the rest of the herd was bounding away and Skylar had risen from the grass, used his incredible speed to close with the wounded doe and, using his hunting knife, quickly put the creature out of its misery. He took a deep breath and gazed at the deer Neal had dropped and nodded appreciatively.

"That's one in Larke's eye for him. You just bagged Granda." Neal looked to him.

"Granda?" Skylar nodded.

"A big deer we've seen around here for years but no one's ever been able to draw a bead on him. Larke has tried, and failed, more times than I can count. He's going to have to eat his words when you show up bringing _that_ behemoth back to the village." Neal smiled at the accomplishment and then looked back to Hunter.

"Well, that's one kill down. I still have four to go, right?" Hunter nodded.

"Indeed. And Skylar and I still have eight to go. The day is still young though. We'll drag these back to our camp and then head out in another direction. The scent of blood in the area will keep the deer away from here for a time until the rains come again and wash the scent away." Neal looked at Hunter curiously.

"How often does it rain here?" Hunter looked to him.

"Oh, if I had to guess I'd say twice a week on average. Avalar is pretty close to the forest and the sea so we get plenty of storms blowing through. Tell me something, do _you_ have any storms in your world?" Neal nodded.

"Oh yeah. Texas borders a huge body of water called the Gulf of Mexico. Around the late part of the year we start getting what we call tropical depressions that, if conditions are right, can turn into super storms called hurricanes." Hunter nodded.

"Are they extremely dangerous?" Neal nodded.

"Yeah, there was one a few years back. I was in school when it made landfall but Hurricane Katrina was a Catagory Five when she hit. Damn near drowned the city of New Orleans in Louisiana and cut power to half the state. Then almost right on her heels came Hurricane Rita. Another worse one that was more recent was Hurricane Sandy. She took an early curve, went all the way up the eastern coast of the United States, laying waste to seaside communities in several states from Florida to New York." Hunter nodded.

"Nature is a truly terrifying thing at times." Neal gave him a wane smile and nodded again.

"That's true. Mankind's biggest folly is that we believe that we can predict what nature will do when in fact we don't know what it'll do. The best we can do is give an estimated guess as to what will happen next. Mankind plans, the World laughs, as they say." Hunter chuckled.

"Now _that's_ one I haven't heard before." Neal nodded and went to the deer he had downed and shook his head.

 _(If only my brother could see me now...)_ He glanced at Skylar and Hunter who were busy tying ropes around the forelegs of their deer and then he did the same, double wrapping the rope around the front legs of the buck and then tying a double knot in the rope. As soon as he slung the rope over his shoulder and started pulling, soon he was joined by both the cheetahs who were likewise pulling their kills along the faded trail through the grass back to the camp.

It was a good thirty minutes back to the camp. It was a large setup suited for numerous hunting groups to come and go. At the moment there were two other groups here, including Larke who, once he saw Neal with his catch, sprang up in surprise.

"You blasted- That's Granda! That was supposed to be _my_ catch!" Neal shrugged.

"Well, I didn't see your name on him." This made Hunter and Skylar and several other cheetahs burst out laughing. Larke glowered but after a while recovered his good nature and joined in on the laugh.

"Well, it was an obsession that I needed to see ended anyway. Makes things more interesing to see what male will be the alpha next season." Neal nodded and then relaxed for a moment before glancing towards a distant hill. After a while, he looked over to the cheetahs and saw the hunters at rest flipping pieces of thin, carved, wood around and on each was carved a crest, what looked to be a number, and a symbol. Neal, after gazing at them for a while, realized what they were doing. He smiled and walked over to them.

"Playing cards?" Larke looked to him and cocked his head to one side.

"I beg your pardon?" Neal knelt down and examined the pieces of wood and then gazed at Larke.

"In my world, we have thin pieces of paper called cards. These pieces of wood look almost like those cards." Larke gave a slight nod and then showed Neal the wood pieces.

"Alright then, these pieces of wood are called Habar Tiles. A woodcarver takes fifty-two pieces of thinly cut wood, sands them smooth, and then etches several designs on the back and then labels the face. How are these cards of yours made?" Neal nodded.

"A factory produces paper from wood pulp. An artist then creates the back design, then divides the cards into four stacks or 'suites'. Each suite is given a number from two to ten, three face cards: the Jack, the Queen, and the King, and then lastly the Ace." Larke glanced to the tiles and nodded.

"It is the same with the tiles. Only our 'face' cards are the Hunter, the Shaman, and the Chieftain." Neal nodded and took a moment to fish around his backpack and found the small deck of cards he had created earlier while the Book was transcribing. He then looked to Larke and nodded.

"This is a deck of cards. With it, I can play everything from Solitaire to Poker, Go-Fish, and Blackjack. You know, some people actually believed that you could read one's future by drawing cards at random." Larke nodded.

"Indeed. It is the same with the tiles in the village. Do you know how to do this?" Neal nodded.

"Not really but I've heard a few of the predictions." Neal first shuffled the cards, split the deck, folded them onto one another and then patted the deck back into uniformity.

"Okay. First card is... the Ten of Clubs. Next we have... the Ace of Spades. Then... we have the King of Diamonds. After that is the Jack of Hearts. Now, the last card is what ties it together; and we have... the Queen of Diamonds." Neal smiled and glanced at Larke but then his expression turned to one of shock and he gazed at the cards.

"Holy smokes I drew a Straight! Where the _hell_ was _this_ kinda luck when I went to Vegas that one time?!"

Larke started laughing at Neal's shock, as did Hunter, Skylar and the others. Neal, after recovering from the shock, fell into laughing with them and then he gazed over to the hill again. What he saw made him gape in amazement.

"Hunter, Skylar, Larke, look at that." The hunters all turned to see what Neal was pointing at and they too went slack-jawed in amazement.

There, three hills opposite of them, was a large group of some sort of large boar. Hunter looked to Neal and then back to the others.

"Well, hardly a hunt but we take what we can get. I'll admit though, it's unusual to see wild boar coming this close to the camp. They've never done so before." Neal nodded and then unslung his rifle.

"Perhaps they're either curious or they haven't caught our scent yet. Well then, shall we?" Hunter nodded with a smirk and motioned for Skylar.

"Let's start running them. If we can get them spooked and scatter them, we'll be able to pick them off from the hill." He turned back to Neal.

"These wild boar are a real problem. They will sometimes chase off deer herds, root up gardens, and even attack our scouts. They're probably the only animal that we hunt that we have the okay from the Chief to wipe out any group we find. Less of a headache for us and for the healers and the gardeners." Neal nodded.

"Okay so how do we go about this?" Hunter nodded.

"We usually have runners who sprint around the boars. The males will charge to protect their females and young while the females will run with the little ones and try to escape. While the runners keep the males busy, archers start shooting volley after volley into the rest of the group. Afterwards, they turn and put down the males and we simply take them, truss them all up and cart them all back to the village." Larke then smiled and glanced at Neal.

"By the way, boar _do_ count to your total. So if you have a target, drop it." Neal nodded and then looked to Hunter and Skylar.

"So you said the two of you will be the runners?" Hunter nodded.

"We'll run them, the rest of you shoot." Neal opened the rifle bolt half way to check and make sure there was a round in the chamber, closed it back and nodded to him.

"I'll do my part. You two just make sure you don't get gored. I've seen what boars like these can do when they're riled or cornered and it ain't pretty. Just in case though, I'm going to take the suppressor off the rifle and fix the bayonet so this is going to be loud." Skylar nodded.

"We'll be careful. Now then, hunters to your posts. Hunter, let's go."

In a flash, the two cheetahs were off running across the field. Neal gazed to Larke and saw him readying himself by sticking several arrows into the ground and readying one on the bow. He gazed down to his belt, drew the incredible fourteen-inch long dagger from its sheath, and, once he removed the suppressor, fitted the dagger to the lug under the muzzle of the barrel. When it snapped into place, he noticed several of the cheetahs looking at him curiously. Before they could ask a question though, several yells and squeals got their attention and the group gazed to see several boars runing back over the hill.

A group of eight male boars were all but falling over themselves pursueing Hunter and Skylar while, true to what Hunter had said, the female boars and the little ones were trying to sneak away from the threat, unaware of the trap they were running into. Larke nodded to the others and the cheetahs drew their bows back, steadied themselves, and released the first volley of arrows.

Having grown up helping his grandfather tend the farm he owned during the summer months whenever he wasn't criss-crossing the country with his Father on his collection trades and gunshows, Neal knew how loudly boars and pigs could squeal. However, compared to the squeal these boar let out, that made the tame pigs he worked with growing up seem several decibels quieter.

After recovering from the shock of the audible barrage, Neal leveled the rifle, aimed over one of the females and squeezed the trigger. He felt Larke's eyes on him as the weapon fired, unsuppressed, for the first time. The crack of thunder momentarily splitting the air and drowning out the squealing. Quickly, he lifted the bolt, slid it back ejecting the spent round, closed it back and then aimed again over another target and fired again.

It became a rythmn: fire, cycle bolt, close, fire, repeat. He did this twice more and with the last one, he glanced and saw he was out of bullets. He placed the butt of the rifle on his knee, pulled another five-round stripper clip from his belt, fitted it to the breech, pushed the five rounds down into the magazine, and then closed the bolt. He managed to fire three rounds before the last of the sows dropped. Then he turned back to where Skylar and Hunter had been and was immediately concerned.

The male boars, hearing the squealing of the females, started ignoring the two cheetahs running around them and coming towards the hunters at the camp. Upon seeing what was before them they must have gone completely bezerk. Neal turned to Larke, face grave.

"Male boars incoming!" Neal glanced at the archer's quivers and to his horror he realized that only two of the eight archers still had arrows in their quivers. Between Larke and the other hunter they had five arrows remaining. The other hunters drew longswords and other long daggers. Neal then did something he thought he'd never do.

When he was young, he'd heard about how British soldiers in the First World War could do what was known as the 'Mad Minute': Thirty rounds, aimed, in sixty seconds. Of course the Lee-Enfield rifles they used had ten rounds, twice that of the American Springfield, but still, he had to do _something_ as there was no way in his mind anyone would escape this encounter without injury.

He placed his middle finger on the trigger, gripped the bolt with his thumb and forefinger, and commenced fire. The first two rounds dropped two of the male boars. He reloaded another five-round clip with ease, slammed the bolt closed and resumed firing. He was unaware that slowly, almost incredulously, every cheetah in the camp was watching him repeat the smooth actions.

By the time the last round was fired and the seventh boar was down, there was one left, the largest of the group, and it was seeing red. Neal, adrenaline flowing, his heart pounding, gave a battlecry, leveled the bayonet at the boar and charged. In his mind, he vaguely registered that he must have looked like a WWI soldier charging across No Man's Land. All that was missing was the explosions of artillery rounds and the sounds of bullets whizzing by his head.

As they closed, the boar lowered his head, ready to put the foot long sharp tusks to use. Neal, having practiced with a bayonetted rifle before, swung the bayonet around, slapped the solid steel dagger against the boar's head, and then pushed. The bayonet slid cleanly into the torso as the momentum carried the beast all the way to the muzzle and even onto the barrel.

Yet the injury, somehow, wasn't fatal.

The boar started thrashing, managing to wrench the rifle from Neal's hands and thrashed around trying to get the weapon out of it's body. It also started squealing as pain managed to fight through the rage and reach the boar's brain. Neal quickly, effortlessly, drew the knuckleduster from his belt, jumped onto the back of the boar and finished the creature off quickly. The alpha boar slowed, stopped, and then dropped to the ground and was still.

Exhausted by the adrenaline leaving and his heart still fluttering, he rolled off the boar, panting and shaking but also laughing to himself. A moment of rest and Neal was pulling himself up, gazing at the rifle still stuck in the boar and then to the approaching hunters as well as both Hunter and Skylar who were absolutely in shock. Neal fought to calm his breathing and smiled and then glanced back at the boar.

"Now I _really_ wish I had a camera." Larke looked to him curiously and then noted the boar and whistled.

"That beast is bigger than we thought. Well Neal, I'll admit it. You've impressed me several times over." Neal nodded his thanks to him and then turned to Hunter.

"Well, think we've got enough?" Hunter chuckled at that, nodded, and turned to the others.

"Looks like our hunting is complete today. Let's get our kills in the wagon and get them back to the village." The cheetahs cheered at that and they went about the work of removing their arrows from their kills, counting them, and then loading them up on the large wagon they brought with them. As Neal removed the rifle from the boar he had speared with it, Hunter came up and patted his shoulder.

"You've actully done it. To be honest we've rarely claimed this many kills. You have managed to complete Larke's challenge and more. It would be an honor to escort you to Warfang. To be honest, I've been testing you. I needed to see what kind of person you are. The fact that you are an Attorkor adds to it, but that just tells me about your abilities, not the person wielding them." Neal nodded.

"I half-expected as much. Given the circumstances I can understand. If you'd like to know anything, I'd be glad to tell you everything about my world if you'd like." Hunter nodded.

"I would indeed. Is it true what you told my niece? That your race has learned how to fly?" Neal immediately remembered the young girl who had brought him breakfast that morning and nodded.

"Indeed. It's funny really. These days, well, in _my_ world flying is an everyday occurance. People cross entire continents, oceans, nations in the span of hours on journies that once took months or years to complete. Yet, for all the advancement, we only really discovered flight about one-hundred years ago." Hunter nodded, clearly interested.

"If you want to hear where it began, it all starts with the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, and their historic flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903. It lasted only a few seconds but that short hop proved that flight was possible. For the first years, flying was a rare priviledge for the wealthy and the military. It wasn't until after the First World War that flying became open to the masses." Hunter stopped him there.

"I've heard of that as well, what is this First World War?" Neal took a breath to explain but he was stopped by Skylar running for them.

"Hunter! Spyro and Cynder are incoming!" As Hunter nodded and then gazed around, he suddenly froze and growled.

"Apes! On the far meadow and closing fast!" Neal turned, saw the incoming creatures and frowned.

"Bloody hell."


	5. Forged In Peace, Forged In War

No foreword today, writer's block with my other projects. Sorry.

On a side note, I guess I've been neglecting my penmanship for quite some time. For example, in High School, I once jotted down my notes in no time flat, now, because I have so little to actually apply my penmanship to (as everything is digital) I've got hand cramps from just compiling my notes on my projects I've been working on so I don't get sidetracked.

Well anyway, on with the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 4: Forged in Peace, Forged in War

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Neal absently reached into his belt and inwardly cursed that he only had three five-round stripper clips left for the rifle and had three clips for the M1911. He gazed to Hunter who was also looking around to the other cheetahs who were busy pulling any salvagable arrows out of their kills for reuse.

"How many are there?" Hunter sighed.

"Too many. We cannot outrun them but we also cannot abandon our kills. The village would be hard-pressed for food and that is something we cannot allow. I thought the apes would leave us alone now that the war is over but that damned dragoness Shadra has stirred them up again." He then looked to Neal.

"Since Skylar and I still have arrows left over and Spyro and Cynder are almost here we may be able to buy the others more time to escape. Unlike Skylar and myself, Larke and the others are hunters, not soldiers. I need to know, what will you do Neal? You don't need to stay here but at the same time I would be grateful if you were." Neal nodded.

"When the Chronicler sent me here he told me to find Spyro and Cynder, that they would be able to keep me out of Shadra's claws. As a Forger, or Attorkor, she believes I can create a device capable of freeing Malefor." Hunter paled and gazed at him.

"If that dragon were free again, I fear our world wouldn't be as lucky as it was the first time." Neal looked away and then to the ape force approaching them. He held his rifle and then sighed. If this Malefor was as evil as Hunter was saying, then why should he risk putting all them in danger. He knew he couldn't, _wouldn't,_ retreat, but at the same time he couldn't allow himself to be captured either. He realized what he was thinking and turned to Hunter.

"Hunter, I'm going to need a promise from you and Skylar." Hunter nodded that he was listening.

"If it looks like I am in danger of being captured-" Neal suddenly heard a horn blast and saw the apes getting in formation to attack and then heard wingbeats and saw two dragons, smaller than Ignitus, but almost as tall as Hunter and he, land nearby and run towards Hunter. The purple dragon spoke first.

"Hunter! Are we _glad_ to see you. We almost thought we were too late." Hunter nodded.

"No my friends, you are just in time. Spyro, have your abilites returned yet?" The purple dragon, Spyro, shook his head.

"Nothing yet, and it's been almost two years. I'm starting to worry if I'll ever get them back..." Then the black and red female laid a wing over Spyro's back and rubbed her head against his.

"It's alright Spyro. I'm sure they'll return someday soon. For now though, let's just focus on the here and now." Spyro nodded, a slight blush on his face.

"You're right Cynder. I just... I just wish I didn't feel so helpless all the time." A sudden golden blur came from around them and hovered close to Spyro.

"Well if you ask me buddy, you're still a lot stronger and _far_ more frightening than _I_ am. I mean seriously, what can a dragonfly like me do when compared to an _actual_ dragon almost, what, two-hundred times my size?" The dragonfly flew over to Hunter and then saw Neal. He stopped for a moment, then screamed loudly and flew behind Spyro's horns.

"SPYRO! Look! A hairless APE!" Spyro then noticed Neal and went into a defensive posture. Cynder however, went wide-eyed and the scales around her face flushed in shock.

"Sparx... that's no ape... that's... that's a _human_..." Sparx then rose up and sighed with relief.

"Oh okay, I guess that's something else... say Cynder... why are you shaking?" Spyro looked to Cynder and then back to Neal.

"What's wrong with a human?" Cynder looked to him.

"You never heard stories about them growing up did you? They... they were supposed to be myth... creatures that _killed_ dragons..." Spyro then went wide-eyed and looked to Neal and growled. Hunter however stepped in front of him.

"Spyro, Cynder, easy, it's alright. He's been _helping_ us." At that moment Skylar showed up.

"Yes indeed. He saved my life from some apes who had cornered me. He's an Attorkor... err... I suppose dragons know them as Forgers."

Needless to say _THAT_ got Cynder's attention.

"A _human_ a _Forger_? That's impossible- wait... no... it couldn't be..." Spyro looked to her curiously.

"Cynder? What's wrong?" Cynder sighed and lowered her head.

"When I was Malefor's slave, he used Shadra, the other dragoness like me, to hunt for a type of magic that had been sealed away for many years. It was always said the Ancestors had sent the magic to another world, another plane or dimension... If this human is a Forger..." Neal nodded.

"I am indeed. The Chronicler, a dragon named Ignitus-" Spyro gave him a sharp glare.

"What did you just say?" Neal gulped.

"The Chronicler, he said his name was Ignitus, that he was the Chronicler for the new Age." Neal stopped as Spyro visibly sagged and Cynder lay a wing over him and smiled. Spyro returned the smile but his voice faltered.

"He survived... and he's the Chronicler... I-I'm sorry. Ignitus... he was my teacher, almost like a Father to me... I thought I'd lost him when we crossed the Belt of Fire." Neal nodded his understanding and then continued.

"He told me to seek the two of you out. That you would be able to protect me until I had mastered my abilities. I know that Shadra seeks me because she wants me to create something to free Malefor but given what I've learned, I'd rather him remain in whatever prison he's in. I... I don't want to harm an innocent... I was a pararescueman, someone sworn to save lives, to grab someone from the verge of death and not let them go until help arrived." Cynder visibly relaxed and her gaze softened.

"So you're really not the monster our myths tell of you?" Neal shook his head.

"I'm not. But to be fair, our race has myths about dragons as well. However, there are both good and bad dragons in our stories. Most stories involving a human killing a dragon involved the dragon commiting unspeakable crimes and killing the innocent." Neal saw Cynder gulp and Spyro glance at her worriedly. Neal quickly put two and two together and quickly added.

"There are also tales of dragons being forgiven their crimes and living in peace with the world. Humans, like dragons, come in all forms. Some are good, some are evil, and some are somewhere in between. You've got people who would never commit a crime, or do harm to another, those who see things as either black or white, good or evil, yet there are those who see the world in shades of grey, believing that there are neccessary evils that must be done to preserve a nation, a person's way of life, or peace in general." This made Cynder again relax and Spyro gave a small smile before gazing to Hunter.

"So then, what do you need us to do?" Hunter shrugged.

"I don't know. Neal was about to say something when you landed. Neal, what was the favor you wanted to ask me?" Neal sighed.

"It... it was nothing..." Hunter raised an eyebrow at this.

"Are you sure?" Neal nodded.

"Judging by the faith you have in your comrades, it would be wrong of me to ask that of you." Hunter nodded and let the subject drop and then looked to the apes still preparing.

"So, can you still use your weapon?" Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx looked to the weapons on Neal and then saw him nod.

"I still have ammo for the rifle but not enough to make a dent against the apes. There is an old saying that things forged in peace must also be forged in war. In order to protect those who cannot fight, I must fight in their place."

Neal didn't know how, but his hand moved in an arc that drew a rune in the air. The rune glowed a slight orange color and then his Book appeared out of thin air and opened. The phantom quill appeared and tapped patiently on the paper. He glanced at the book and it started writing.

 _'Devices summoned before are used in the common area, to Forge a new device, you must first know what you are looking for. Now that I am transcribed with everything you ever read and learned, simply speak what you are looking for and I'll find it. Once that's complete, try to Forge it.'_ Neal nodded and caught Sparx's slack-jawed expression before rapidly thinking.

"I need a weapon designed for war, something with a large caliber, full auto capabilites, and can _really_ scare the apes... I know! Search: Weapons of the Great War, Subheading: 1918, European Theatre, American Gunsmiths, John Moses Browning."

The Book did it's thing and quickly flipped to a section where a picture of a man was shown, plus a list of weapons and pictures and descriptions by them. Neal nodded.

"Okay. Flip to the Browning Automatic Rifle Model 1918." The Book did as requested and flipped over two pages to show the weapon. Cynder actually looked interested and gazed at the description. Neal then closed his eyes, also seeing the blueprint before him, he placed his hand on the book and nodded.

"Keep it like it is. Factory fresh." The book emitted a soft glow and when he opened his eyes, a brand new BAR was sitting on the grass, bipod deployed, with a belt of eight extra magazines nearby. The Book floated to the side, resummoned the quill and tapped to get Neal's attention.

 _'Why summon that particular weapon? According to the knowledge within me, there is also a weapon called the 'Thompson' that would be lighter and just as effective.'_ Neal nodded and hefted the 16lb weapon in his hands and loading it before replying.

"Quite simple. The BAR uses a _rifle_ round, the Thompson uses a _pistol_ round. I need something that will scare the living daylights out of the enemy while also assuring myself that once this weapon knocks them down they _won't_ get back up."

 _'Fair enough.'_ Sparx looked to Neal and then to Spyro and twirled one of his fingers around his ear. Neal snorted.

"I saw that. No, I'm not crazy. The Book is enchanted. I speak to it, it replies in writing." Sparx didn't look convinced but Spyro and Cynder nodded understandingly.

As Neal turned to Skylar and Hunter, he noticed that the apes had finished yelling and screeching and getting into formation and started charging at them, intent on getting into range before the renouned archer race of Avalar start pelting them with arrows.

Obviously they never expected this.

Neal deployed the bipod onto a large rock nearby and knelt behind it to steady himself. He set his left hand on the rifle butt which was snug against his shoulder and wrapped his right hand around the rifle grip and flipped the safety off. He turned to the dragons behind him and the cheetahs and nodded.

"Best cover your ears." The dragons looked to one another curiously and Hunter and Skylar covered their ears as Neal pulled the trigger.

The BAR let loose with an incredible burst. Several .30-06 caliber rounds sailed towards the encroaching horde. The apes heard the thunderous, full-auto report of the weapon and some in front balked at the unfamiliar sound. Even more stopped dead in their tracks as the bullets slammed into the apes in the lead, cutting them down as Neal 'walked' the weapon back and forth across their lines. He stopped only when he had fired the last round out of the 20-round magazine. Sparx had clapped his hands over his ears and was perched on one of Spyro's horns shouting angrily.

"My ears! Ouch that smarts!" Spyro grimaced.

"It's no picnic for us either Sparx... hey look! The apes stopped advancing!" Neal saw this and immediately pressed the magazine release, dropped the empty magazine, and loaded a fresh one but held his fire. An ape leader, armored and dressed differently than the one Neal had seen before stepped forward.

"By order of General Shadra, if you cheetahs surrender the Forger, as well as the traitor, Cynder, you may leave alive! You are hopelessly outnumbered. The Forger cannot save you all, protecting him will only get you and those you care deepest about killed. We know that the purple menace has yet to reclaim his powers and that makes him weak. Surrender, and let this fight end today!" Neal glanced at Hunter who drew his bow and loosed an arrow which flew towards the ape leader. Then, suddenly, the ape sidestepped and the arrow struck the ground harmlessly and gazed back to Hunter, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"I take that as your answer." The ape turned to his force and waved to the left. To Neal's horror, a group of the apes broke away and started running in the direction towards the cheetah village where Larke and the other hunters had headed. The ape chuckled cruelly.

"You may fight us here in which case you may win, but you will lose your village _today_!" Hunter growled angrily and shot an arrow at the force going for the village. He struck one of the apes but they paid no heed to their fallen comrade, they had their eyes on their target. Neal scowled and rose, angrily.

"You cowards have no honor! You attack a village just because it is there?! Rest assured, here and now, I will _die_ before I allow myself or any innocents to fall into Shadra's claws!" The ape leader laughed and Spyro and Cynder looked to him. Neal turned to the two.

"I have no right to ask the two of you for anything. But I will ask, please, fly to the cheetah village and protect it from attack. Take Hunter and Skylar with you. Either I will hold the main group here, or I will die trying. I _won't_ let them take me alive. If it comes down to it, I'll Forge a bomb and blow myself up before they overtake me." Spyro looked at Neal as if he were crazy and then to Hunter.

"I'll stay here with Neal; you, Skylar, and Cynder head for the village. He won't hold out very long alone." Hunter nodded as did Cynder but Skylar shook his head.

"I'm staying." Hunter turned to him.

"Why?"

"Neal saved my life, remember? I can't just leave him here. I owe it to him to stay and fight." Hunter gave him a serious look.

"You know what you are doing, right? You've just made a life-debt." Skylar nodded.

"I know. It's something I was planning to do anyway. Besides, if Shadra wants Neal, she's not going to stop at threats, she's going to take action. The fact of the matter is that Spyro and Cynder won't always be there beside him, he needs someone who will." Hunter nodded solumnly and looked at Neal.

"Take care of him." Neal nodded and turned to Spyro.

"You ready? Chances are they won't stay halted for much longer." Spyro nodded.

"Do it." Neal cracked his neck once, then aimed down the sights of the BAR and aimed it at the ape commander and fired a round.

The ape commander smirked when he saw this and turned to one side but then gasped as he felt the bullet strike him in the body. He turned and glanced down to see a small hole in his armor and growled.

"Damn you..." He never finished whatever he was going to say as he fell over as six more rounds slammed into his body. The apes glanced at their fallen leader and then to Neal and screeched angrily. Neal looked to both Spyro and Skylar and shrugged.

"I guess that did it." Skylar nodded and then gazed at his swords.

"What do I do? Just wait here for them to close?" Neal looked to him and then to his nearby rifle and shook his head.

"Skylar, how would you like to be the first of your species to learn how to use a rifle?" Skylar, showing no hesitation, stooped down to pick up the Springfield and hefted it experimentally.

"It's heavier than a bow." Neal nodded.

"It is indeed. Now, it has a full clip and one in the chamber already. Simply aim at the target you want to hit, make sure the front sight lines up with the back sight, and then squeeze the trigger. To reload, lift the bolt on the right side, slide it back to eject the spent round, push it back forward to chamber a fresh round, lower the bolt to lock it in place, and pull the trigger again. When it comes to the bayonet fixed on the muzzle, if you know how to use a spear, you know how to use a bayonetted rifle." Skylar gave a faint smile and nodded before taking a place beside Neal.

Neal quickly summoned sixteen more BAR clips and ten more Springfield stripper clips and nodded to Spyro.

"Spyro, since you have no ranged abilities, please remain nearby to protect us when the enemy gets too close." Spyro gazed at him for a moment and nodded, a confidant smile on his muzzle.

"Don't worry. Terrador says my melee fighting skills are just as good as my elemental skills. I won't let them touch you or Skylar." Neal nodded his thanks and looked to the Book.

"Do you think I should have Forged a machinegun instead of the BAR?" The quill appeared.

 _'You are the Forger, I am merely your spellbook, although to be honest, a machinegun would have required the tripod which sadly you do not have enough mana remaining to summon completely.'_ Neal groaned.

"Figures."

By this time the apes started charging again and Neal cast aside all other thoughts and pulled the trigger, raking the ape soldiers with full auto fire. A rifle report nearby made him glance at Skylar who was easily shifting the bolt, taking aim, and the firing again in a mirror perfect image of himself. The rounds weren't perfect, some apes dropped with holes in their arms or legs and more than a few dropped holding the fork of their legs but it was clear that Skylar was a fast learner.

The BAR was also doing its job well. The 20 round magazine may be small but the hefty round still had enough power to cut any apes before it to shreds. One several occasions, a round actually went through the ape closing _and_ the ape coming behind it.

Skylar and Neal made a good team together. By the time the apes were close enough that the ranged weapons were becoming a hinderance, there were few enough that Neal was comfortable drawing his pistol and knuckleduster and closing as was Skylar with the rifle bayonet, and then with a roar Spyro got into the fray.

Neal was able to observe Spyro as he fought. He charged the first apes, running them down with his horns, then swung his tail around, clotheslining an ape that was trying to come at his side. He then reared up on his hind legs, clawed to apes with his forelegs, and then charged after on of the other, somewhat larger apes. It was here that Neal got a show.

Spyro used his horns to throw the ape into the air, jumped, and then started pummeling it with attack after attack before using his tail in an overhead arc and cracking the ape over the head, sending it rolling into a small group of its fellows. Neal smiled, unable to resist.

"Strike!" Skylar looked to him curiously and Neal smiled embarrassingly.

"It's something from my world." Skylar nodded and then charged at an ape who was running towards Spyro. Evidentally seeing the dragon as the bigger threat, they all focused on him. Still though, Spyro didn't look like he needed any help. This was evident when, again, Spyro used his tail to knock several opponents back; then he singled out one straggler who was in better shape than the others, bit into the ape's shoulder, jumped up, used his wings to hover, folded his hind legs up and started mauling the ape with the claws on his feet.

There were only six or seven apes remaining and, with their leader fallen, they all took a last glimpse at the three who had held them back and then as one turned and ran. As Spyro landed, he gave a growl and a snort at the retreating apes and heard Neal give a low whistle.

"Remind me to never tick you off." Spyro shook his head and chuckled.

"I will, but it probably will never happen. I may be a dragon but I am a patient sort." Neal nodded and then looked back to Skylar who was looking over the rifle and then to Neal.

"Now we must get to the village!" Spyro nodded.

"I can fly and you can run but what about Neal? I don't think a human can match a cheetah's speed." Neal looked to them both and then looked to the book.

"I think I can make my own way. The two of you go ahead." Spyro and Skylar nodded and took off. Neal then looked to the Book and sighed.

"They needed to get to the village and help the defenders. I know I'd only slow them down. Dammit. I wish I had something that could get me there quickly." The Book appeared before him, pen at the ready and wrote three little words.

 _'It is time.'_

Neal felt his eyes suddenly grow heavy and close against his wishes. Through his eyelids, he saw a flash of light and the felt his surroundings change.

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This time, when Neal opened his eyes, he wasn't on the plains of Avalar, he was in a building the likes of which he'd never seen before. He glanced around and saw machinery littered around him. There was a workbench, tools, devices, and piles upon piles of metals: iron, steel, copper, lead, brass, bronze, even gold and silver. In a corner were piles of books haphazzardly tossed about with rolls and rolls of blueprint paper sat on a desk with a fountain pen and a little wire device that held two containers of ink, one was white ink, the other black.

Neal gazed around in wonder and then saw his Book floating nearby.

"What is this place?" The Book opened and the ghostly quill started writing.

 _'This is your Workshop. Up until now, you have been Forging from memory, quickly creating what you needed to accomplish the job at hand. Now that you are getting used to the world and your powers, it is time for you to come here. You are the first to be in this place, but you are hardly the first in your family considered a Forger.'_

Suddenly, a grey spectre appeared and started working on the workbench, his hands moving as if assembling something. Across from him, another grey spectre, this time a woman, started reaching up and working on something else. Soon, there were several spectres and each started working on several invisible creations. All the while as Neal watched, the Book wrote. When it finished, it tapped to get his attention. Neal turned and silently read what it had written.

Martin B. Edwards (1750-1781) Farrier/Swordsmith, Georgia Militia/ Patriot Army, Killed In Action.

Richard S. Edwards (1779-1814) Blacksmith, US Army, Louisiana, Killed In Action.

Thomas L. Edwards (1813-1842) Weaponsmith, Texas Volunteer Army, Killed In Action.

Edward G. Edwards (1840-1898) Corporal, Confederate Army; later served as a shipbuilder, _USS Bainbridge_ ; then US Navy Petty Officer. Killed In Action on _USS Maine_.

George R. Edwards Sr. (1861-1918) Motorcycle Technician/ Tank Mechanic, Master Sergeant, American Expeditionary Force. Died of heart attack on 11 November, 1918, upon news of the loss of his son.

George R. Edwards Jr. (1882-1918) Pilot, Flight-Lieutenant, American Expeditionary Force, Killed In Action 10 November, 1918.

Amelia Edwards-Foster (1915-1952) Aircraft Assembly Technician, WWII; volunteer nurse US Army Medical Corps. Killed in Action, Korea.

Joseph P. Foster (1950-2004) Weapons Officer, Senior Chief Petty Officer, US Navy. Killed in Action, Iraq.

Neal caught himself as he felt himself leaning as he saw his Father's name in his Book. Slowly, the spectres took on faces and clothes and the projects they were working on came to light. He looked to his Father's spectre and started to tear up. There, in his Father's lap, was the last rifle he and his Father had ever worked on together, a WWI-issue German Mauser 98 rifle. The last memory of him jumped unbidden to mind.

It had been Monday, September 10, 2001. The next day, the world as he had known it shattered. His Father reinlisted in the Navy, went to war...

...and never came home again.

Neal had never again touched that rifle. In an effort to get him to move on, his Mother had sold it shortly before her death but it hadn't helped. The same war had claimed his Father and his Brother.

The tapping on the book brought him back to reality and he gazed around at the other things his ancestors were working on.

His great-great-great-great-great grandfather was working working on a badly blunted cavalry sabre.

His great-great-great-great grandfather was repairing a busted artillery carriage.

His great-great-great grandfather was trying to repair what looked like components to a large steam engine.

His great-great grandfather was working on a French FT-17 tank that had been transferred to an American command, the letter and number designation was G11.

His great-grandfather was working on a Spad VIII biplane that had painted on it, of all things, the family crest: a white shield, with two dragons, red and blue, with the phrase 'Never Say Die' in gold lettering underneath. On the fuselage were four German crosses, four kills. One shy of making him an Ace.

Lastly, the only woman in the group, his grandmother, was busy working on an American B-17 'Flying Fortress' ball turret.

He silently walked to the desk and suddenly found himself looking over the blueprints. There were detailed diagrams of several WW1-era weapons, aircraft, vehicles, and even a few WW2-era aircraft. With the spectres of his ancestors milling about around him, seemingly oblivious to his presense, he turned to the book.

"I need a vehicle. Something fast, light, easy to control. Something that can keep up with a dragon on the wing, and a cheetah running at full speed. Something that can get me to where I'm needed in one hell of a hurry."

A chuckle filled the room and suddenly the spectre of George Edwards Sr. turned to face him, the grey pallor draining from him, color returning to his face, his uniform, his hair, and his eyes. The spectre produced a rag from his back pocket and started wiping seemingly fresh grease from his hands. The grease and oil-stained man chuckled and walked towards Neal and smiled.

"If it's a vehicle you're after, I reckon I've got what you need."

George Edwards Sr. pointed to an open space on the floor of the workshop and in a flash a vehicle appeared. As Neal gazed at it in wonder, George Edwards smiled.

"Something I had planned to bring home when the war was over. Never got to ride it of course, but, well, better late than never. All the vehicles I ever worked on, nothing was faster than a Harley-Davidson. As an added bonus, this one has a Thompson fitted to it. She was used as a high-speed courier to transit orders. She's got bark _and_ bite." As George Edwards turned away, the grey color began to return as he walked back to the workbench.

"If you take care of her, she'll take care of you." As the grey color finished, George Edwards fell silent. Neal nodded to him and walked to the motorcycle and placed a hand on the distinctive handlebars and heard someone cough behind him. He turned, and saw Edward Edwards, clad in Confederate grey, standing before him, a serious expression on his face.

"We in our family have always been drawn to machinery. A desire to see what makes things work. We didn't know it then, but we have always been Forgers. Now, that title falls to you. Remember to always show honor, compassion, and courage, and you will never disgrace it."

Neal nodded to him and then placed a hand on his clothes. In a flash, the ghillie suit had transformed into a WWI-era uniform, complete with helmet, gas mask, and trenchcoat. He even had a metal cuirass over his chest. He mounted the motorcycle and, with a strong kick, the engine started. He revved the motor a few times and checked the Thompson to make sure it was loaded and smiled, looking to the Book.

"Let's go protect a village."

There was a blinding flash and Neal was suddenly back in Avalar astride the idling motorcycle, his BAR strapped to his back and the Thompson loaded and ready. He brought up the kickstand, revved the engine, and took off down the hill with a thunderous roar.


	6. A Skirmish, and an Introduction

No foreword today, just my apologies for the torrent of updates and the lack of which I've been making them. Things have been piling up and plus I've been trying to ave up money so I can buy Mass Effect: Andromeda when it comes out.

Heh, what can I say? I fell in love with the series when it came out in the 360 and am eagerly awaiting to see what they've done with the new one.

Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have weapon calibrations I need to be working on. (Turians rock!)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 5: A Skirmish, and an Introduction

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Skylar and Spyro had arrived bakc at the village just in time to see Cynder finish off the first wave with a wall of shadow fire. The apes had mustered into a formidible defence despite being somewhat few in number. Once Cynder saw them she relaxed, as did the archers on the walls. As Spyro landed, Sparx flew over to him and took a perch on one of his horns and chuckled.

"Spyro, it is good to see you. So, I take it that the other apes we left back there are defeated? Oh, wait a moment, where's our Forger friend? Did he not make it?" Spyro shook his head.

"No he told us to go ahead and that he'd be here soon but I guess I should have figured that Cynder and the cheetahs would have things well under control." At that moment, Larke arrived and nodded to Skylar and Spyro.

"Well, he'd best arrive quickly then because the fun's almost over." Cynder grimaced at that and then pointed a wingtip to the apes in the distance.

"I think they're just getting started, getting a feel for our defences. They've tested the waters, now they're about to dive in." Sparx groaned.

"Why, oh why must you sound depressing like that? Maybe they're hanging back because they are going to retreat?"

A loud roar pierced the sky making Sparx scream.

"What was that?!" Spyro growled as he caught the scent and gazed up.

"Wyverns! At least eight of them; Dreadwings as well." Cynder frowned.

"We've got no choice but to split up. Spyro, you and I are the only ones who can deal with airborne threats. That means the cheetahs are back to being outnumbered on the ground. We need something to balance the scales. Even the odds." Spyro opened his mouth to say something but was stopped as he heard something like a distant growl.

The growl got closer and louder until it turned into a full-fledged roar. Sparx gazed around worriedly and even the cheetahs were looking around for the source of the noise. Then, a series of whoops and yells got their attention as the apes started advancing and above the dreadwings and wyverns dropped below the clouds. The apes had passed an outer fence when a familiar sound pierced the air. A low flying wyvern screeched, did a wing-over, plummeted from the sky and crashed into a hay bale.

The apes stopped and looked up to the hills across from the village and the dreadwings and wyverns started hovering as if trying to understand what had just happened. Then the roaring sound was heard again and, with a sudden increase in pitch, Spyro, Cynder, and the others watched as Neal, astride some sort of metal machine, crested the hill, sailed through the air for a bit before landing, and then, shifting his left hand from the bar controlling the front wheel, he grabbed the weapon bolted to the middle of the bar and shifted his aim and fired.

Rounds from the Thompson raked the ape ranks and tore through them easily. After a moment, he released the weapon to regain stability of the motorcycle and headed for the village. As he neared, he applied the handbrake and slid to a stop near the two dragons and gave them a grin.

"Am I late?" Sparx hovered down to look at him then looked to the apes then up to the creatures in the sky and then back to Neal and shrugged.

"No, you're just in time. Nice entry though." Neal nodded and then dropped the kickstand, unslung the BAR, and held it at the hip.

"So, Spyro, Cynder, I guess you'll take the flying foes and we'll handle the flea circus?" Cynder smiled and chuckled at that joke and nodded.

"Yeah. We'll handle the fliers, you handle the fleas." Neal glanced at Skylar and Hunter and chuckled.

"Ain't the worst job I've had to do."

With a lunge, Spyro and Cynder shot into the sky towards the airborne foes and Neal leveled the BAR at the apes who, having overcome their shock and confusion, began running at the village again. Neal saw the cheetahs frown as the apes were still out of range of their bows and he gave a sympathetic nod.

"Y'all just watch the show. Skylar, you up for raising a little hell?" Skylar nodded and leveled the Springfield rifle at the apes and opened fire. Neal joined in by raking the BAR back and forth along the apes. He caught a glimpse of the looks of the cheetahs on the wall and probably would have laughed at their expressions if the situation wasn't so serious.

A screech got his attention momentarily as he saw Spyro, dreadwing in a death grip, flying low and fast at the ape formation and then releasing it. The creatures momentum carried it the rest of the way and it bowled into the apes who shrieked and howled and cursed both the creature and Spyro who, with three flaps of his wings, was back in the air and out of range of their attacks. Moments later another screech broke through and a wyvern fell, clawing at its face where Cynder's poison had been sprayed point-blank.

As Neal fired the last rounds from the clip and then started to reload, a shadow fell over him.

"Neal! Look out!"

Pure instinct drove Neal to harken to Spyro's call as he dove to the side as a wyvern's claws dug furrows in the earth where he'd been standing moments before. Neal rose to his feet, took a step towards the motorcycle, unfastened the bolt from the Thompson, and, hefting it like the BAR earlier, he raised the weapon upward just as the wyvern was coming back for another pass and held down the trigger, emptying the entire 50-round drum into the creature.

The wyvern swerved, cartwheeled through the air and, whether through luck or coincidence, landed in the exact same hay bale as the first and remained there. Neal saw this and gave a small grin.

"Puts a whole new meaning to the phrase 'hit the hay'."

The Thompson now expended, he set it aside and re-readied the BAR and loaded a fresh clip into the weapon and resumed firing. By this time, the apes were now in range of the village and the cheetahs along the wall were loosing volley after volley of expertly aimed arrows at the enemy. The gates to the village opened and several more cheetahs came out, swords, spears, and axes at the ready.

Above the village, Spyro could see that the battle was almost over. The majority of the apes were dead and some were starting to retreat from the field and of the flying enemies, few remained. He saw Cynder grappling with a wyvern and he grabbed a dreadwing and flew in her direction. Seeing him comin towards her, she started flying towards him and then as they closed they through their respective opponents at each other and couldn't help but laugh as the two creatures collided in mid air and then fell down below and created a sizable impact crater in a nearby hilltop.

This impact was the last straw for the apes and the rest of them turned and fled for their lives. The cheetahs, seeing this, began cheering loudly. Neal joined in the cheering and above, Spyro and Cynder roared triumphantly, circling the village overhead. As Neal gazed upwards to watch them fly, he felt that old familiar feeling in his chest. The absolute joy and freedom of flight. On the ground, seeing the two of them circle one another as they flew overhead, it was almost... hypnotic, in a fashion.

He felt Skylar clap his shoulder roughly but all he gave the cheetah was a small smile and a nod before his knees gave out and he slumped to the ground against the motorcycle. His eyes slid closed and he was asleep.

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Neal suddenly came to in a place he recognized even though he'd only seen it once. The stone library where he'd met Ignitus. He gazed around slowly looking for the elder dragon and found him at a desk examining a book.

Or more precisely, THE Book.

Neal approched and cleared his throat which got a nod from Ignitus.

"How did I wind up back here?" Ignitus chuckled.

"You overextended yourself and your body went into a..." The teal dragon flipped through a book that suddenly Neal recognized as a copy of Webster's Dictionary. Ignitus stopped at a page and nodded.

"As I was saying... you overtaxed yourself and your body went into eh... 'energy-saving mode'. Simply, you wore yourself out, you fell asleep to conserve what energy you had left and recharge." Neal nodded but couldn't suppress the chuckle of seeing the big teal dragon flipping through multiple books that seemingly came from his world.

"Studying up I presume?" Ignitus chuckled and gave a nod.

"Indeed. I must say, you humans are not the nightmarish creatures my race tends to believe you to be. I must admit Neal, when I first saw you I was unsure of what I should do. I wanted to see what type of person you are. In a way, I was testing you." Neal nodded.

"Seems to be a common trend in this world of yours. I suppose I'll have to look forward to such treatment once we get to Warfang, right?" Ignitus sighed.

"I'm afraid that may be the case. Fortunately, your actions have swayed Spyro and Cynder, convincing them that you are a friend and trust me that counts for a lot with the other Guardians. You have also befriended Hunter, Skylar, Larke, and even Chief Prowlus who, at this very moment, is checking up on you to make sure you are in fine health, just sleeping."

"Anyway, in case you were wondering, yes, technically, you _are_ what the cheetahs know as an _Attorkor_. However, the magic that you possess is fundamentally _dragon_ magic. The situation in its own right is interesting. I wouldn't be surprised at all if, once Volteer overcomes his initial shock... heh, pun intended... he may start bombarding you with questions." Neal nodded.

"Skylar said there were other species in the world. What would they call me?" Ignitus gazed at him and then gazed around the library before nodded and surprised Neal by summoning a book that was as thick as he was tall.

"As for the first part of that query, yes, there are _many_ other races that inhabit our world. Some friendly, some less so, and some downright hostile. To the dragons, you are a Forger. The cheetahs, Attorkor. The moles and manweersmalls both know one of your talents as Ubermann. The atlawa know it as Danasehr. The canines as Maester, and the wolves as Alphaem. There are a few others but they exist on far distant continents beyond my influence." Neal took a deep breath before sighing.

"I have something else to ask you... In human culture, we believe that all stories, in particular our fictions, have at least some grain of truth to them. Are there other humans in this world?" Ignitus gave a weary sigh and summoned another book.

"I've actually been able to answer that very question for myself. Long ago, even before Malefor himself was even a thought, yes, humans existed in our realm. However, those days are long gone. Again, there might still be some tribes on far distant lands but none here I'm afraid. Between some time before Malefor's hatching and the Great Uniting, humans mysteriously went extinct on our lands. Now, granted, we dragons had no love for humans in those days but it was said that the way they died made even the Ancestors pity them. It was as if... they simply wasted away." Ignitus summoned several books and laid them out before him self and Neal.

"Some books I have from around that time suggest they contracted some mysterious disease that dragons could have cured and died out. Others speculate that ancient dragons used magic to create a plague that only targeted humans. Either way, it is something that, in this day and age, would have _never_ been condoned." Ignitus closed the books and sent them back to their shelves.

"Now, humans and dragons rarely, if ever, got along in ancient times. Yet, I can't help but be curious as to why the Ancestors, when Malefor was bearing down on them, sent the Forge magic to a different world where _humans_ dominated the world and dragons were extinct, or simply never existed. Perhaps it was a way of denying Malefor or perhaps they forsaw a day when humans would return and wanted to make amends for the past."

"Still, the humans of old may be gone but the stories remain. Once you get to Warfang, I would advise you not to leave Spyro or Cynder's side or, if you have to, seek out company with another species the cheetahs and possibly the wolves immediately come to mind." Neal mentally made a check by 'make friends with the race of bipedal cheetahs'. Ignitus continued.

"Dragons consider humans a way to get their hatchlings to behave, you know like: 'go to bed on time or the humans will hatchling-nap you' or 'eat your vegetables or you'll be too weak when the humans come to take you away'. Things of that nature. Anyway, to discover one alive, much less in possession of powerful _dragon_ magic, well, it would be a rather nasty scare to a lot of people." Neal didn't suppress his shudder.

"I don't like the sound of that... how nasty a scare are we talking about?" Ignitus tapped a foreclaw thoughtfully.

"How to put this... delicately... the more militaristic minded dragons will want you executed outright. A female with children may also lash out with element, fang, claw, or tail. There is also a tribe of dragons to the far west... the ones that use poison... well... they believe that consuming their victim will grant them the powers of that person." Neal paled.

"So... stay east to avoid getting eaten by venomous tribal dragons... whoo boy and here I was thinking those old stories were just that. Stories." Ignitus chuckled.

"Well, as you said, every story, no matter how outlandish, has to have a bit of truth somewhere." Neal nodded.

"Is there a way to allay their fears? Maybe show them that I'm a Forger and that I mean them no harm?" Ignitus went wide-eyed and shook his head rapidly, his calm voice growing into a thundering roar.

"NO! Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to reveal to every dragon and dragoness in all creation that you are a Forger!" Ignitus hadn't meant to roar but he had and Neal had shrunk back. Seeing this, Ignitus sighed and then explained.

"There is a magic out there, a _dark_ magic, capable of ripping a someone's magical energies from them and imbueing them into another. If dragons catch wind that a _human_ of all things is a Forger and they're not prepared for it, they may just try and dig into those forbidden tomes and I doubt any dragon, save Volteer and perhaps Terrador, would stop them. If they were to use the magic on _you_... well... let's just say that in all the cases _I've_ read of that magic being used, _none_ have survived the experience. The Guardians are the only dragons you should tell outright of your powers." Neal then sighed.

"So then, back to the original question, how do I dispell their fear?" Ignitus sighed.

"That's a multiple choice question right there. Some dragons, though I hate to say it, can be bought. We usually have no use for gold and silver but we do use it for decoration and we use gems for currency. Present a particularly beautiful piece of art to the right dragoness and she'll tell her friends and they'll tell their friends and word will spread that you're quite the artist, thus making you unique, more of an oddity, but still effective. There are also dragons whose vanity is their weakness. Speak nicely of someone or stroke an important figure's ego and they'll think you might actually be _civilized_." Neal had a feeling that sounded familiar but bit his tongue.

"With most dragons however, respect must be **earned**. It may be painful to do, but share your memories with them, tales about your land. Some little ones can even be enthralled by stories about far off places in your world. If we dragons are anything at all, we're curious by nature and our young ones have an immense sense of adventure and wonderlust. Once they feel comfortable around you, you may find Spyro and Cynder listening to you tell stories one of these days." Neal chuckled.

"Nothing like a good mystery, riddle, joke, pun, or story, eh?" Ignitus chuckled.

"Indeed. Plus, some dragons will simply be satisfied knowing about your race. Volteer is one of those types of dragons." Neal then thought of something.

"These Guardians... what are they like?" Ignitus nodded.

"A sensable question... Well, Volteer is an electric dragon as you may have figured out. Very studious, intelligent, and always eager to learn something he didn't know before. Plus, I believe the human term, if I read this correctly, he's a... 'motormouth'." Neal slapped his forehead.

"I had an Aunt like that. Always talking and impossible to stop once she got rolling. Like a boulder. Or an avalanche." Ignitus nodded.

"Quite. Now then, next is... oh, before I forget, _don_ 't tell Cyril that I spoke of Volteer before him. Cyril, amongst the Guardians, is the only 'high-ranking' noble among them and he doesn't let _anyone_ forget it. He's very particular about the 'proud ancestral lineage of the ice dragons'." Neal nodded.

"In short, he's pompous." Ignitus barked a laugh at the blunt phrase and nodded, still chuckling.

"If he ever heard you say that, you'd learn a whole new meaning to the term 'frostbite'. Ah ha... now then... the next is Terrador, the Earth Guardian. While Volteer was the scholar and Cyril was the noble, Terrador was the soldier. I know this may sound somewhat presumptuous but, when you meet him, you may manage to curry favor with him if you wore your military uniform. Soldiers are oftentimes sympathetic to others who have seen the same things as they." Neal nodded and then looked back to him.

"That's Electricity, Ice, and Earth. How many other Guardians are there?"

"There are others. The next one is Furnace, the Fire Guardian, and my replacement. He is a little bit of everything... a... 'jack of all trades'... I believe is the human expression... right?" Neal nodded and Ignitus continued.

"He's a teacher, philosopher, soldier, artist, and I believe he once even tried blacksmithing. He's good at many things but alas is a master of none. His students only achieve slightly higher-than-average grades, his poetry is recited in only _very_ small circles, he never achieved the status that Terrador did nor did he become and officer in the military, his metalwork was mediocre at best and his artwork is best not examined on a full stomach if you catch my meaning." Neal made a mental note of that and then waited.

"What about Wind? Water?" Ignitus gave a small grin and nodded, glad to see Neal taking an interest in the subject.

"The Aqua dragons are renowned healers and are also some of the largest dragons of the species. They use water to create a variety of poultices, elixers, potions, and medicines, all of which are entirely potable and easy to swallow. The Water Guardian is a _massive_ Aqua dragon named Leviathan. He is, among other things, one of the greatest healers his race has ever produced as well as one of the largest Aqua dragons alive today. I've noticed that your military service lists you as a pararescueman who pulled injured and adrift sailors and civilians from the ocean. There's a good chance _that_ bit of information will earn you his approval as all Aqua dragons are trained from hatching to seek out ships in distress and rescue their crews whenever nearby." Neal shuddered at that but then sighed.

"Yeah, but when it came down to it, the most important rescue of my career and I failed horribly..." Ignitus looked to him curiously.

"Sorry, did you say something?" Neal shook his head and motioned for the Chronicler to continue.

"The Wind Guardian is Gust. She's one of two female Guardians and she, like Cyril, is nobility. However, she is not set in her opinions. In the end she will decide whatever her heart tells her to do. She's a very... relaxed dragoness and easy to get along with. Also, she's the youngest and also the most acrobatic. She loves pushing herself when she flies or hunts." Neal nodded.

"Sounds like my Brother. Perhaps she'd like to hear about a few of his missions he told me about or perhaps a few instances when I was a stunt pilot. Any others?" Ignitus nodded.

"Lastly, there is a Shadow Guardian. Her name is Constance, short for Constellation. Now, be warned with her, she is a dragoness of _few_ words, a _short_ temper, and a _long_ memory. Plus... she's Cynder's mother. Now, a good way to read Constance is to read Cynder. If you've been polite to Cynder, she'll greet you with unrestrained warmth. However, if you've been cold and cruel to her... Ancestors only know how she does but she _knows_." Neal chuckled.

"One of the most infallible things in the world is a Mother's intuition and love." Ignitus paused and gazed at Neal curiously.

"Wise words indeed. Who said them?" Neal smiled.

"My Mother." Ignitus nodded.

"Constance deeply regrets not being there for her daughter in her youth, you doubtlessly now know about Cynder's past. Tell me, if you had bore witness to what she had committed, would you have forgiven her, despite the fact that she worked so hard to repair what she had done?" Neal gazed at the dragon, searching for a clue but in the end he found none but in the end he nodded.

"I could tell by her voice that she is an honest dragoness and that she cares deeply for Spyro. If one is truly repentant of their past, then forgiving them is the first step towards moving forward." Ignitus nodded.

"Well then, that basically means that Cyril should be your only obsticle when you meet the Guardians. Although, chances are they will also have you brought before the leaders of the combined races of the realms." Neal nodded and then watched as the library began to fade.

"Ignitus? What's happening?"

"You're waking up. You mana has recharged itself and quite simply, you cannot stay in one place for too long now. Shadra knows where you are now. Also, the Guardians have learned of the ape presense in the area and have sent soldiers to escort Spyro and Cynder back to Warfang. Though it won't be admitted easily, without his powers Spyro is an easy target for the apes and Shadra. Ancestors guide you."

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Neal awoke in the same hut he had woken up in before, only this time he spotted Skylar by his door and his belongings nearby. Once he sat up, Skylar grinned to him and nodded.

"Good you're awake. Your Book explained to us why you fell unconscious and we gently carried you back here. Chief Prowlus dropped by earlier to make sure you were alright. He may not show it if you see him later but he's very relieved you helped out when you did. One of the female healers undressed you to take your clothes for cleaning and checked you over for wounds. Thankfully you were uninjured." Neal nodded and eased himself out of bed and then heard a faint ticking noise. He glanced over to his belongings and saw the watch he had created earlier that day and had handed over to Mystra to be enchanted. Skylar noticed the watch and nodded.

"Mystra dropped it off earlier. Said that in the event such a thing happens again, the watch will warn you."

As Neal strapped the watch on he felt a tingling sensation throughout his body and noticed the hands on the watch turning independantly. After a moment, the hands stopped at precicely 12 o' clock and then the fourth hand that acted as the 'mana gauge' slowly crawled clockwise from the red portion of the face to the yellow, then to the green section before stopping at the 12 meaning he had full mana reserves. He gazed at Skylar.

"What time of day is it?" Skylar glanced at him and noticed the watch and said.

"Around midday." Neal chuckled.

"Mystra must have also enchanted the watch to keep perfect time. I'll have to thank her later." Skylar chuckled at that and shook his head.

"No need. When the hunters explained how we were able to attain so many kills, the people were ecstatic. With the deer you killed plus the boars, AND with helping fend off the attack, you've become a hero to the village." Neal chuckled.

"I never would have figured myself to be a hero in my life. I suppose there's a time for everything. Now then, I guess I'll step outside for a bit." As Neal rose, Skylar got a serious look on his face.

"Neal, be careful. A group of dragons arrived from Warfang with the Guardian of Shadows at the lead and they intend to escort Spyro and Cynder back to Warfang. They... Well, you'll need to see this for yourself."

Neal nodded to him and took a deep breath as he put on a fresh set of clothes (ironically another WWI uniform, this time French) and started for the door. He had no idea what to expect when he opened that door. As he opened it, he was quickly aware of eight cheetahs nearby who, once they saw him, nodded politely and formed ranks beside him. Gazing across the village, he spotted eight dragons clad in armor in the village square and another unarmored dragon speaking with Hunter, another cheetah he guessed was Chief Prowlus, and Spyro and Cynder.

As Skylar came out and joined the cheetahs with him, Neal took a steadying breath and started towards the group. No sooner had they reached the square when one of the armored dragons stopped to take a deep smell of the air and faced the group. Instantly, the dragon's expression changed from one of confusion to realization, and then to horror.

"H... H... _HUMAN!_ "

Immediately the dragons at first glared at the dragon and the Commander, a female, growled at the dragon for spouting nonsense but then caught sight of Neal and went just as wide-eyed with shock as the previous dragon and then glanced to the unarmored dragoness nearby.

"L-Lady Constance..."

Constance, the Guardian of Shadow, from her relaxed position before her daughter and Spyro, turned to face the soldiers and then to the cheetahs and Neal. Her eyes narrowed, she took several deep breaths, likely taking a good sample of his scent, Neal realized, and then let out one great whoosh of breath as she rose to her full height. Whereas Spyro and Cynder could were able to see him eye to eye as they could with the cheetahs, Constance, and indeed the other dragons here, towered over him. In human world retrospect, Constance was as tall and as long from nose to tail as an eighteen wheeler.

Despite himself, Neal felt his heart fall through his chest at the sight of so many dragons that, if he made the wrong move, could and _would_ likely kill him without a second thought and there would be nothing the cheetahs could do to stop them.

Taking a few steps forward she bent her head forward to examine Neal more closely, eyes betraying nothing but wary alertness, but also curiousity. She took one more sharp sniff and then exhaled, the force of the wind nearly rocking Neal back on his heels and blowing his hair back for a moment. Then, she spoke.

"For a creature out of our worst nightmares... you're awfully tiny..." Neal gave a small smile and glanced up to her.

"There is a saying among my race, to never judge someone by their outward appearance. Then again, we usually place more belief in actions and, if I were a gambling man, you seem as curious about me as I am curious about this world." One of the nearest soldiers growled a warning but Constance silenced him with a glance and then returned Neal's smile with one of her own.

"Indeed... and may I ask... _ARE_ you a gambling man?" Neal chuckled.

"I find prefer games of sport over games of chance. Besides... I have rather abominable luck but that still doesn't stop me. Do I find you intimidating? Yes. Do I find your escorts intimidating? Again, yes." Neal heard the soldier dragon murrmur something and saw more than one of them smirk. Neal ignored this though.

"However, the very fact of our conversation means that you are interested as to the reason or perhaps _how_ a human, a being supposedly extinct in this world, would throw himself into harm's way time and again for people he knows absolutely nothing about. The answer is a simple one. I am no threat to you, your kind, or these cheetahs who have graciously extended to me their hospitality these past fews days." Constance nodded lightly and then gave a glance to her daughter before returning her gaze to Neal.

"So then, my daughter tells me that you have asked her and Spyro for their protection yet you know nothing about them, this world, or our kind. Why?" A dragon behind her scoffed and muttered something under his breath and then, quick as a whip her eyes sharpened and she wheeled around quick as a whip and bared her fangs at him menacingly.

"Do NOT dare speak that way of my _daughter_ in _my_ presense." Neal saw the dragon mutter an apology and back away. Then he mustered his courage and gave a smile.

"She's lucky." Constance wheeled back around and gave Neal the same dagger-like glare.

"What I mean is to have a Mother like you, she's lucky." Constance went wide-eyed at that, all the tension draining from her as Neal's words sunk in. Emboldened, he continued.

"I... learned a little about your daughter in passing and, as you've said I know little to nothing about you, your species, or this world but from what I can tell at first glance, despite those who say things about her, I can tell she is a good-natured sort and would do whatever neccessary to atone for what happened. In that, she has my respect. She is also not alone in that regard." Neal gazed around at the other dragons.

"My name is Neal Foster, formerly Chief Petty Officer and Para-rescueman of the United States Coast Guard." Neal glanced to the dragon soldiers, to Spyro and Cynder, then back to Constance.

"I swore an oath, a long time ago, to uphold law and order, defend the defenseless, uphold the weak, give aid to those who ask of it, and to never let the cry of a soul in distress cry out in vain and to hang on to them, through sea and storm, fire and foe, until help arrived. I have saved lives and I have taken them in defence of my country, my ship, and my comrades. I spoke to your daughter, and to Spyro, requesting their protection both because I know nothing about this world and because of something else."

"I was brought here to this world by the Chronicler, and instructed by him to seek these two out once I got my bearings. Guardian Constance, I also request your understanding of my situation. My family has long been drawn to machinery, technology, and the like. It was only with my coming to this world that I learned why. During the original war against the dragon Malefor, the Ancestors sealed away a special type of magic. Forge magic." Constance nodded calmly, indicating for him to continue.

"Whether they meant to or just coincidence, they sealed it in _my_ world. I am a human, yes; but I am also a Forger." Constance snapped her gaze to him, then turned to her soldiers who stared aghast at the proclamation.

"Lieutenant, you and those under your command are hereby sworn to secrecy." She returned her gaze to Neal, her eyes radiating amazement but also concern.

"Human... Neal... can you confirm this? Has Forge magic returned to our world?" Neal nodded, stepped away to make some space, took a moment to visualize what he wanted, something large, obviously human in origin, and visually impressive. The Book aided him by combing through things his ancestors had known and soon he had what he wanted. As he began channeling the magic, a circle of light appeared on the ground which turned into a sphere and then with a soft _whomph_ , it was done.

Constance, the dragons with her, as well as the cheetahs, were shocked speechless.

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Next Chapter: A Heavy Heart


	7. A Heavy Heart

Hmm... I wonder if this is a record? If you're reading this I have just uploaded 3 chapters to World Fury, 1 to Breath of Fire (finally), and 4 to Forge Summoner. That's 8 uploads in one sitting. What can I say, once I finish a chapter I just can't wait to post it and get your thoughts.

Anyway, on with the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 6: A Heavy Heart

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A small bell sounded on Neal's wrist and he glanced at his watch and saw the fourth hand (the one that measured his mana) drop from the 12 mark (full mana) to the 10 mark. Though the drop was expected, Neal expected summoning a large object to have dropped his mana at least to the 6 which was the end of the green zone and the start of the yellow zone.

 _(Not so bad... I guess I have more mana than I thought.)_

Constance examined what Neal had created looking over the automobile and then glaced back to him.

"Impressive. May I ask what it is?" Neal nodded.

"This is what we humans called an 'automobile'. They were first introduced in the years before the Great War and were used to shuttle soldiers and supplies to the front lines and were also used for scouting." Constance nodded.

"Interesting. So, how does it work?" Neal came forward and undid the bolts on the hood.

"The vehicle is powered by this engine here. To start it, I turn the crank here on the front, the engine starts, and the pistons and gears start turning the wheels. If I may?" Neal pointed to the crank and Constance nodded.

He reached down to the crank, turned it once, twice, then three times. The engine remained inert. Then, on the fourth try, the report of combustion echoed, making Neal smile and on the fifth, the engine finally started. Pistons marched up and down, valves opened and closed, the engine was purring like a dream. Constance examined the vehicle with stoic calm while the others looked on with amazement until Neal shut it off.

As the engine stopped, Constance nodded to him.

"So, you have asked my daughter for protection. May I ask why?" Neal nodded.

"It seems that for some reason, Shadra believes that, as a Forger, I can create something that can free Malefor from his prison. Rest assured even if I knew something that would do that, I would never even consider it." Constance had frowned when he'd said the earlier but relaxed when he said the last and nodded.

"Well, at the moment Spyro is still recovering from the last battle with Malefor. It was wise to ask them for help but, for the moment, it may fall to us Guardians to keep you safe. That is if you can convince Cyril. Now then, we've finished our reason for coming here. We'll be flying back to Warfang soon. I suppose since you don't have a clue how to get to Warfang one of us will have to carry you." Neal gave her an incredulous look and then a small smile.

"I'd apprieciate it. Heh, riding a dragon, one thing off the bucket list." Constance looked to him curiously.

"Bucket list? What's that?" Neal blushed.

"It's something humans do occasionally. We make a list of things we'd most like to do before we die. I... I've been in more near-death experiences than I can count but, I only made a bucket list after the last crash." Spyro and Cynder looked to him.

"Crash? What happened?" Neal looked to them and grimaced.

"It's... It's something that happened a couple of years ago... I... It's something that I'm ashamed of to be honest. Remember how I said that you are not alone in that you have things you believe you have to atone for? This instance was mine." Constance eyed him curiously.

"Well, we've got time." Neal glanced at her and then noticed the other dragons paying attention as well as Hunter and Skylar and sighed, realizing there was no way around it. He'd opened Pandora's Box and now he just had to roll with it.

"It was my last mission in the Coast Guard. We were responding to a distress call from an old cargo ship that had gotten swamped by a rogue wave and was sinking fast. Heh, the day started out so clear... so beautiful... We had no idea we were flying into a storm that was forming. By the time we reached the location of the radio call, the ship was gone, the wind was howling, thunder crashing everywhere, lightning illuminating the sky, and rain so heavy you couldn't see six feet in front of you. The ocean was whitecapping, heaving." He sighed as he worked on un-Forging the armored car.

"To this day I still don't know what happened... Maybe water got sucked into the engine intakes or maybe the mechanics didn't do a proper check... or maybe just simple bad luck... We had the doors open, spotlights scanning the waves looking for survivors... suddenly there was this loud grinding noise and all the alarms started going off... Next thing I know we were in free fall, engines had died, we were spinning like a top." Neal had tears coming into his eyes at that point.

"My best friends from my childhood were with me that day. I was the co-pilot, Mills was the pilot, and the officer in charge. Hawkins was the spotlight operator and the new guy, Edwards, was the diver. When we started spinning... momentum tore Hawkins out of the chopper... we were still at one-hundred feet in the air... when he hit the water it was like hitting a stone wall at high speed..." A few of the dragons grimaced, realizing where he was going.

"The impact broke his back... didn't kill him... not right away..." The tears were now visible and the dragons eyed him curiously.

"We must have tried every damn thing we could think of to restart the engines but it all failed... We hit the water hard... canopy shattered, flooding the cockpit. A piece of the frame broke loose, impaling Mills and pinning him to his seat... He couldn't get out..." Neal looked to Constance and then to Skylar and Hunter.

"I watched my best friend drown and I wasn't even a foot away from him..." He took a deep breath and continued.

"Next thing I knew, the straps holding me in my seat broke loose, current carried me out before the chopper sank... broke my leg and my hip in the crash... found Edwards trying to get Hawkins into an emergency liferaft that broke loose in the free fall... He was battered... bloody... I should have been more alert... I... I tried to triage Hawkins but the sea was too rough I... I couldn't help him... Then I saw something out the corner of my eye... a fin... piercing the water... I tried to yell at Edwards to get into the raft but it was too late..." Neal was pale now and his hands were shaking fiercely.

"I watched... as a shark grabbed his leg and pulled him under... away from the raft... It let him go and his vest brought him back to the surface. Even to this day I... I can still hear him screaming... that just seemed to encourage them... there were three of them... and they... they devoured him right in front of me..." A lithe female dragon nearby went green in the face and ran behind a nearby bush as what he said registered.

"I... I must have passed out from the shock but when I came to, Hawkins was gasping for breath and clutching his chest. I knew... somehow I knew that a rib had punctured something... didn't have the medical kit... went down with the chopper... he died in my arms... sobbing in pain... begging me for help and I couldn't do a damn thing!"

Neal's voice broke and he went to his knees. If he had glanced around he would have seen that even the dragons who had been growling at him earlier now had tears in their eyes. Even Constance. Neal took a few breaths to collect himself.

"I was found the next day... I relayed everything that had happened to the Commander from my infirmary bed... Docs said that the physical wounds would heal readily enough but... they believed the stress was too much... I was discharged without a second thought... I guess it was as gentle a dismissal as they could give me... word had it people were wondering what the hell we were doing in that storm in the first place... losing the chopper was bad enough but losing my entire crew was worse... some of the powers that be were calling for a tribunal or, failing that, my head on a pole." He gave one last sigh and gazed at his left hand, seeing the scar on his palm from when he had cut it trying to save Hawkins.

"I live my life, not just for myself, but for the three friends I lost that day. Three comrades I had to face their mothers, wives, children, and tell them what happened. Some simply sobbed at their losses, Edwards' wife though, she cursed me out six ways from Sunday calling me every curse word in the book. Even a few I didn't know. I live for them, because they never got to see so many things."

Neal was suddenly aware of something blotting out the sun and gazed up to a shock. Constance had half-unfurled a wing and had enveloped him with it, a sad smile on her face.

" You bear a great burden, and a heavy heart. I know the feeling. When the apes raided the temple years ago, I lost my mate, Cynder's father, in the attack and the apes made off with Cynder's egg. In that one moment I lost my whole world. It's thanks to Spyro though that I have a little bit of my world restored. Did you have family?" Neal nodded.

"My Mom died of cancer a few years ago... my Father and Brother though... they both died in the war... Dad was helping a forward base when a bomb exploded near him... Danny... he went down with his plane in the middle of a desert trying to save some soldiers who were pinned down and suffering heavy casualties. I had oftentimes wondered why I survived so many horrible near-death instances... I just... can't understand it..." Constance nodded.

"We can never explain such things, try as we might. What we can do is remember the fallen and ensure that they did not die in vain. I... I know it was painful for you but... thank you for telling me." Neal chuckled.

"I should be thanking you. It's... it's the first time I've spoken about the incident... I guess what they say is true. When you're hurting, get it all in the open." Constance gave a small smile.

"That's what Nova always told me as well. Heh, well, I suppose that there are a few things our worlds have in common after all. Well then, I suppose we must be heading for Warfang now. Hunter has already informed me that he and Skylar will be travelling overland but I have a feeling the other Guardians will want to see _you_ immediately." As she said this, she turned broadside to Neal and lowered herself into a crouched position. This got the attention of the soldiers and they didn't stay silent.

"Lady Constance! Surely you do not mean to let this _human_ ride you like some beast of burden?!" Constance huffed and eyed the soldier who spoke.

"Am I to assume that any of _you_ wish to carry this human to the Guardians? It was my understanding that you lot were _afraid_ of this human and would just as soon be rid of him as you would any other foe. I find myself... curious... and wanting to know more about his past. I am certain that a few of the other Guardians, once they overcome their shock, would be just as interested as I to learn all we can about humans. If I must carry him about, then so be it. Besides... I wish to ask him a few things while we fly and I'd much rather have him close by rather than have to shout across to whoever else would willingly take him."

After a moment, Neal was soon seated between Constance's shoulders on her back as she rose to take-off. Neal turned to Skylar and Hunter.

"I'll see the two of you in Warfang." Skylar nodded to him and Constance leapt into the air with one great flap of her wings.

No sooner was the Cheetah village out of sight then they were soaring among the clouds. To Neal it was similar but at the same time different and Constance climbed she gave a glance back to him.

"So, Cynder told me that you humans had discovered how to fly. Tell me, how does flyign like this compare to your's?" Neal gave a smile and chuckled.

"There's no comparison. With humans, we use machines to fly. Some use helicopters like I used to and some use planes and jets. With you though, I can feel how your muscles shift and move with every flap, how you adjust for every little change in the wind. It's incredible. In a plane, which uses a fixed wing concept, you don't really feel much of anything except the occasional rough spot of turbulence..." Neal didn't get a reply and shuddered, remembering what he had just said.

"Uh, Lady Constance? ...About before, please don't think me forward..." At that moment Constance laughed, a rich and vibrant sound that suddenly put an image in Neal's mind of someone who enjoyed flying just for the hell of it."

"I've never had flying put in that perspective for me. So, you can _actually_ feel every little movement I make?" Neal blushed a bit and chuckled.

"Yeah." Constance smiled.

"Good. Well then, what do you think about this?" Neal had only a moment's warning before Constance shot up through the clouds and executed a perfect loop before coming back down into formation. The dragons around her looked exasmperated at her antics but at the same time smiled and chuckled to each other. Constance chortled.

"How was that?" Neal chuckled.

"That the best you can do? Loop-the-loops?" He meant it as a joke and Constance knew it but she huffed, playfully indignant.

"All right then, you asked for it!"

As soon as the words had left her mouth, she folded her wings and dove. The wing from the descent threatened to rip Neal from her back but he held on as the wind roared past. He found himself forced to close his eyes to keep them from drying out and clenching his jaw to keep his mouth shut and his cheeks from flapping. Then, she snapped open her wings and Neal felt as if every organ in his body slid down into his feet.

He wanted to say something but before he could even manage a syllable, Constance was off again, this time in a tight spiral as she climbed and once she reached a suitable altitude, she started performing consecutive barrel rolls. Neal's blood was rushing to his head and his stomach felt like it was tieing itself in knots. After a moment she leveled out and then gave another smirk back to him.

"So, how was _that_?" Neal chuckled.

"I take it you like flying. Only a serious flier takes time to perfect those maneuvers. I'll admit, if I hadn't been properly experienced as a pilot myself, you would have got me." He felt Constance shake as she laughed.

"That just takes all the fun out of it. But you're right. Up here, among the clouds, I can forget about everything. The duties, honors, and headaches about being a Guardian. Everything that has been bugging me. _Who's_ been bugging me." Neal chuckled.

"I heard that. Up here, it's just you and the wide blue yonder. I can't begin to tell you how often that, when I flew, I'd just sit up there, watching the clouds. I was never more at peace." Constance nodded and then started descending.

"Well, like the old saying goes, what goes up must come down. And for us, we are nearing Warfang. As to avoid a great stampede of people, we're landing just inside the Noble Quarter and we'll be working our way to the Temple." Neal nodded.

"Sounds good to me. I- Whoa..."

That last was said just as Constance and her group made the last descent through the clouds, revealing to Neal the majesty and sheer size of Warfang sprawled out before him. The city was _massive_. He'd been to some of the largest cities in the United States but this one, he was sure, was bigger than most of them.

Warfang had been extensively rebuilt and redesigned after the war. It had been two years since the last battle and some areas of reconstruction were still going on. Neal's gaze was drawn to a stretch of the city along the outer ring with very dilapadated houses. They looked out of place considering the buildings in what Constance informed him was the Residential District.

"That stretch of buildings is the slum. I know it's not grand but, well, the number of criminals in that area, plus the ineffectiveness of the Watch in that area means that repairs are... slow-going. No mole wants to really build in that part of the city where one of their buildings may still be used as a safehouse for criminals. About the only shining light in that place is the Full Moon Tavern, run by a wolf named Lyca." Neal nodded and silently wondered how she knew about that when she dipped again.

As a large inner wall and gate passed underneath, Neal spotted the reason she called this area the 'Noble Quarter'. Each home was practically a manor house in and of itself. It would have been impressive to stand and admire the structures but their landing had drawn some attention from the local residents. Several soldiers clad in shinier, more ceremonial armor than their escorts came to them, sneering hautily. The leader, a large fire dragon who, judging from the modifications to his armor around the belly region, enjoyed his meals. He gave a lazy smile to Constance and then to the soldiers.

"Lieutenant, you and your group is dismissed. You may return now to that hole of a bulding you call a barracks. I think the slums have actually gotten _worse_ since you left." The lieutenant growled low but said nothing except she saluted and then motioned for her group to follow her and they took off, angling for the slums. The large red dragon then turned back.

"Now then, Lady Constance, please permit us to escort you to- _what in the Ancestor's names is THAT?!_ " He had just caught sight of Neal as he stood alongside Constance. One of the 'soldiers' glanced at Neal curiously and then looked back to him.

"I think he's some kind of hairless ape, sir. Perhaps Laday Constance captured him and brought him for trial?" Another huffed.

"Why bother with a trial? He doesn't look important enough, just string him up and fling his body out over the wall, or better yet into the slums, they could use something to talk about." At that moment, Spyro and Cynder arrived and the dragons turned their attention to them.

"Spyro, eh... Cynder..., glad to see you're back. Look at this thing, any idea where it came from?" Cynder caught how they hesitated on her name and sighed, which in turn made Constance give a wicked grin to the soldiers.

"This 'ape' as you incorrectly called him, is under _my_ protection as well Spyro and Cynder's. Furthermore, you misunderstand, he is no ape. He is a _human_." The dragons froze where they stood. As one, slowly they turned to face Neal, each one examining him closely. One of the younger dragons actually drew close enough to smell him. Neal raised an eyebrow at that and chuckled.

"Any closer you'll be able to read 'Made in Germany' on my coat tag." The dragon yelped and withdrew to his group, shock evident on his face. The lead dragon recovered and snarled.

"Why is a _human_ under a Guardian's protection? In fact, why is a _human_ even here?!" The dragon had yelled that last part and instantly Neal saw, out of the corner of his eye, several female dragons with their children in tow who, once they heard the dragon, they grew frightened. Constance had picked up on this and sighed.

"That is a matter for the Guardians and for the _Royals_ to assume. Now then, if you'll excuse us."

With a huff, Constance took the lead with Spyro and Cynder coming along to Neal's left and right and giving him a reassuring nod. As soon as they were out of earshot, Constance looked back to him. I assume you would like a chance to clean yourself up before we meet with the others. We'll stop by my home, goodness knows I would like a chance to rest before having to deal with the inevitable headache to come." Neal looked to her curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"Those 'guards' back there? Their leader is the younger brother of Lord Vesuvius, a dragon with an almost intolerably short temper. He'll speak to his brother who will then rush to the another, and then another and before you know it, we'll have a mob of nobles at the gates. Once the nobles get stirred up about somthing, they won't let it die down easily." Neal sighed.

"Sorry if I put you in a poor situation." Constance scoffed.

"Think nothing of it. They know better than to try anything with me. Part of the reason I decided to take up their offer to live in the Noble Quarter was because I rather enjoy puncturing those windbags when they get a little too full of themselves."

As they reached the manor, Neal breath caught at it up close. He had thought the buildings by the street were large, but _this_ one was massive. As the group entered they were greeted by an electric dragon who caught sight of Neal and made a gasp of alarm but otherwise showed no outward signs of being startled. Constance however, turned smoothly to the dragon.

"Ampere, this is Neal. He's only going to be here for a moment while he cleans himself up and while I take a rest. In the meanwhile, please see to whatever Spyro and Cynder want or need." Ampere nodded understandingly and then directed his attention to Spyro and Cynder and paid Neal no more mind. Constance looked to him.

"I assume your species bathes?" Neal nodded.

"Up the stairs, down the South Hall-" There was a cough as Ampere turned.

"It's the West Hall my Lady." Constance grimaced.

"For the Ancestors' sakes this place is too big for my family and what few dragons I hire. Fine. Down the _West_ Hall, about three doors down is the bathing chamber. Would you like me to see about getting a servent to buy a change of clothes for you? I would assume that a cheetah's garb would suit you." Neal shook his head.

"Thank you Lady Constance but that is unneccessary. I won't be long." Constance then gazed at him.

"Take all the time you want, _please_." With that she turned and vanished. Ampere glanced to Spyro and Cynder and then to Neal.

"Lady Constance is a dragoness who, unlike others, has no mind for politics. She prefers if the problem is out there before her and she can solve it. Otherwise I'm afraid she gets headaches rather easily." Neal nodded understandingly and then followed the instructions he was given.

Given that the manor was a big as it was, Neal had honestly expected a perhaps medium size bathroom but was awestruck again when he saw an immense pool in the middle of the room and then mentally slapped himself.

"Of course, what would a dragon do with a bathtub, they'd need a pool to clean up."

Neal undressed, carefully undid his watch, and then slipped into the water which, to his surprise, was comfortably warm. He allowed himself a few moments just to soak in the heat and wash the dirt away that had accumulated in the past few days and gave his mind to wondering what things were like back in his world. Just then the water turned warmer and steam started to form. He realized he'd been thinking about that time he'd gone to some hotsprings a long time ago.

"The pool must be enchanted to match the temperatutre to whatever the person currently bathing wants."

With that in mind, he sank down to his neck in the warm water and allowed his mind to resume wandering freely. However, he was no longer alone. He was completely unaware of the door creaking open and a pair of eyes watching him. After a moment the figure slid into the room silently, and then, with Neal's back turned, slid into the water with barely a sound. Neal was suddenly aware of something. The water had gotten even warmer and the steam had turned thicker, almost like fog. As Neal decided to rise and leave, suddenly, a tail wrapped around his waist and pulled him back into the pool with a splash.

For a moment the tail held him underwater until it then pulled him up and he was staring at a dragon, or rather from his current sight, _dragoness_. The tail gently set him back to the side but didn't release as the dragoness turned to face him.

With the exception of being a little bigger and having a bit more finery about her, this dragoness was a mirror image of Cynder. She smiled as she saw Neal and released him from her tail only to spring and plant both forepaws on either side of him in a sort of hug, gently lay her body against his, slowly lowered her head, and gave him a long lick to the side of his face from his neck up to his cheek and chuckled coyly.

"Hi. Nice to meet you. I'm Shade, Cynder's big sister."

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Okay, let's leave these two alone for a moment and... what am I saying?! (takes a look at the next chapter draft)

Oh, okay, whew. That explains it. Well, if you guys want to learn what happens next, you'll have to wait until the next update.


	8. The Guardians

Oei vei. Yet another restless night. I've tried everything from counting sheep to drinking a glass of warm milk, even thought a few glasses of whiskey would do the trick but apparently not.

Well, might as well work on this a bit. Just so you know, I'm _not_ drunk. Just an insomniac.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 7: The Guardians

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Neal couldn't help but stare at this dragoness who had pinned him in the bathroom. Shade was the mirror image of her sister, Cynder, with the exception that her eyes were a deep, deep blue rather than emerald. Shade had her paws on either side of him like a hig of sorts and she was gazing into his eyes that left no room to wonder what it was she wanted. Her face was flushed, her breathing ragged, and after introducing herself, she licked Neal again and then lowered her body so that she was snugly against him. Neal tried to form words but for some reason his mind refused to work.

Thankfully, something else happened. The door to the bathroom burst open and there was Cynder, alert, frantic, but also concerned. When she caught sight of Shade, she turned her head.

"Ampere! Found her!"

Almost instantly the electric dragon butler was there and grabbed Shade and gently pulled her from the bath. Immediately Shade started pouting and tried to break free of his grasp but despite his lithe appearance, Ampere was deceptively strong. A moment later he sighed and turned to Cynder.

"I'll take her back to her room." Cynder nodded and went ot check on Neal.

"Are you alright?" Neal nodded and finally managed to get his brain out of first gear.

"What in the name of all that's holy was _that_ about?" Cynder sighed.

"My sister. She's in heat for the first time so Mom decided to pull her out of classes until it passes. We dragons have heat periods where we try and seek out potential mates. Our instincts usually kick in once we turn nineteen but most dragons try to hold off until they are older and bigger before trying to start a family." Neal nodded.

"That explains it then. So, she's not normally like that then." Cynder chuckled and shook her head.

"Ancestors no. If she _ever_ acted like that in public Mom would ground her into the next century. No, she's polite, but she's very studious and exact. No offense but, if you speak to her again she'll likely just say hi and then bye just as quickly. She's focused on her grades at the moment and not on males. This was just, well, I already said what it was." Neal nodded.

"Understood. Well, I suppose I'd best dry off." Cynder nodded to him and left him to the bath. Now that Neal knew how to control the temperature, he quickly wished for it to turn ice cold which made him yelp involuntarily but had the desired effect.

After drying off, Neal then though back to Ignitus' advice and summoned the Book. Immediately, the pen started writing.

 _'You're thinking about what Ignitus said aren't you? About wearing your old uniform.'_ Neal nodded.

"I know I'm _former_ Coast Guard but still, I... I doubt I'd be disgracing it simply by wearing it before important figures in the city government." The Book floated for a moment and then started writing.

 _'Which would you want? Blues or Whites?'_ Neal thought back and then nodded.

"Blues. It's after Labor Day." He was confidant that if the Book could have laughed at that joke it would have and then tapped again.

 _'What medals and awards did you have?'_ Neal thought for a moment, remembering how his uniform looked. His medals, ribbons, and his accolades and rank. The only thing he changed was that instead of dress socks and shoes he used regular comfortable socks and boots. Plus, the minor awards he kept as ribbons, the major ones he opted for the medals.

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Cynder had rejoined Spyro on the first floor after the incident with Shade and Sparx was fighting hard not to laugh. Cynder gave a sigh at his immature humor and then turned to Spyro.

"What do you think will happen? Once Neal goes before the Guardians, I mean." Spyro shrugged.

"I don't know Cynder. I truly did wish I knew but I don't. How was he?" Cynder sighed.

"I think he was barely registering what was happening. One moment he was alone and the next he had a heat-driven dragoness trying to arouse him. I wonder though what would have happened if I hadn't interfered. Then again, it _was_ Shade's idea to lock herself in her room. Still, I suppose that just gave her all the time in the world to learn how to pick locks and learn about hiding in shadows. I'm actually impressed." Sparx chuckled for a moment and then floated next to Cynder.

"So. How about you?" Cynder looked to the dragonfly curiously.

"What do you mean Sparx?" Sparx grinned.

"You know what I mean. You're only, what, one year younger than Shade? So then, your first time is right around the corner, isn't it?" Cynder flushed a deep red at that and gazed away as Spyro sighed.

"Sparx. Not funny." Sparx waved his hands in a dismissive genture but then stopped as his eyes fell on the stairs.

"Spyro. Cynder. Take a look at _that_."

At that moment, Ampere, as well as Constance were returning and heard Sparx speak and looked at the stairs. They, as well as Spyro and Cynder, were floored.

There, on the top flight, was Neal. Gone were the dirty clothes he had worn on the way here and in its placed was a uniform of deep blue. The overcoat and pants were blue. He had a white shirt underneath, and also had a tie on. His boots were polished to a high shine, his hair was combed, and a hat was under his arm as he descended the stairs.

In contrast to the blue, on his arms, there were three red inverted chevrons, the last of which had a arch over it, and what looked to be a bird of some sort inside it. On Neal's chest were several objects as well. Spyro wanted to ask him about them but at that moment Constance cleared her throat.

"You certainly have an understanding of the gravity of the situation. Is that standard of what humans wear?" Neal shook his head.

"No m'Lady. This is a military dress uniform. It's worn for ceremonial events, important events, and for special purposes." As Constance nodded,there was a knock at the door. Ampere answered it and then gazed back to Constance.

"My Lady, a few members of the Guard are here. I suppose they're here to escort you and your guest." Constance sighed.

" _That's_ a new record. I thought for sure that Vesuvius would dismiss his brother and order him to sober up before reporting back to him but apparently he must have been _extra_ convincing today. Well, it can't be helped. Spyro, Cynder, plese take the formation you had before, I'll take the lead."

Neal gave a nod to Spyro and Cynder and together the group stepped out the door and into what appeared to be a crowd. At the first sight of Neal, several dragon guards went on guard. Females gasped, those with young ones growled threateningly and shielded their young ones. Males glanced at him haughtily wondering how such a being could have become such a creature of nightmares.

However, there were a few, some male, some female, and even some young ones that, once they caught sight of Neal in his uniform, they awed in amazement. As soon as he was out of the house, Neal gave a glance around and then placed his cap on his head, cocking it to the side as was his habit, and his priviledge. Spyro noticed this and couldn't help but ask.

"Why is your hat crooked like that?" Neal smiled to him.

"Veteran's priviledge. All servicemen and servicewomen who have served their country and fought in combat can tilt their caps to the side as a show of seniority. I wasn't always a para-rescueman. Before I earned my stripes, and my pilot's license, I was a gunner on a cutter, interdicting smugglers, criminals, pirates and their ilk." Constance took interest in that.

"So that's what you meant when you said you had saved lives but also taken them in performing your duty." Neal nodded, his hand absently going to the violet medal on his chest as he took a steadying breath. As they walked, the crowd followed. Some of the more daring young dragons got as close to Neal as they could. One, a young male, caught sight of his medals, in particular the purple one.

"What's that one there?" Neal asked which one and the dragon pointed to the purple medal and Neal gave a smile.

"That's the Purple Heart. It's awarded to those who have been wounded in battle. I have been wounded in action... oh... about seven times actually." This time, upon hearing that, a guard plucked up courage and spoke.

"Which time do you remember best?" Neal chuckled.

"I remember _ALL_ of them. I guess... if you want one that comes close to mind... Right, I was assigned to the cutter _USS Anchorage._ Brand new ship, just launched, new crew, and a new Captain. I must have been the senior-most enlisted man on the ship. We were trailing a boat that had been acting funny for a while." Neal caught their curious glances and explained.

"You see... smugglers, drug traffickers, even pirates have certain behaviors if you watch them long enough. Smugglers and traffickers will sail in zig-zags to try and avoid detection while pirates will act in distress to get a vessel close enough that they can board it. Well, this boat was going in zig-zags so I figured it had to be a smuggler or a cartel drug trafficker. Boy that was one surprise I hadn't expected." Cynder looked to him.

"What was it?"

"It was a smuggler; but the 'goods' he had on board weren't what you'd expect. No. This guy was part of some kinda crime group that kidnapped young women and sold them into slavery as 'special' servants. Anyway, the guy must have panicked when he saw us because he quit zig-zagging and started going all out. Of course, his boat was a nothing more than a rusted out wreck." Neal chuckled to himself.

"I was looking through the spyglass on the gun deck and could see the expression on the guy's face when the engine blew. Sent up a pillar of pitch black smoke a mile high through the stack like a flare. Well, we managed to get close enough to board but then he got desperate. He locked the cargo hold, set fire to his boat, and jumped overboard. Figured if there was no evidence of a crime we couldn't arrest him."

"Now keep in mind _what_ he was smuggling. There were _people_ chained in that cargo hold. _Living_ people who were crying for help in Spanish, Chinese, and some other languages I couldn't recognize." One of the young ones went wide eyed.

"What happened?" Neal smiled.

"I grabbed a fire axe from the wall nearby and with one swing I shattered the lock and chain and leapt down into the hold to start getting the girls out. Of course, I forgot that a boat that size could not have been manned by just one person. Turns out the smuggler had locked his crew down in the hold as well. They caught sight of me and one produced a pistol and fired, catching me in the arm." Neal tapped his left shoulder, showing where he'd been hit and smiled.

"We finally got the fire out, rescued the girls, arrested the smuggler and his crew. In the end, short action, no one died, and we managed to send most of the girls back to their families. Happy ending." Constance glanced back to him again.

"You said 'most' of the girls?" Neal nodded.

"That's the sad part actually. Some of them were orphans, had no family to go back to. Thanks to the Mercy Act of 2018, we were able to bring those unfortunate few into the country, give them a home, food, shelter. Everything one needs to get a fresh start on life." The young dragons around him were wide eyed with excitement and even a few of the more reserved dragons were starting to feel at ease. Still, some of the guards refused to be swayed.

The leader of the guards, the one who had confronted them when they had arrived, scoffed as he glanced at Neal's uniform.

"They just look like cheap decorations to me. Look at that one there, likely made of iron." Neal frowned and glanced at him.

"Actually it is. I received this medal from the German Navy after I helped save the crew of a ship of their's that had been struck by a suicide bomber. We were actually guests of the Italians after we saved one of their merchant vessels from pirates. They wanted us to demonstrate special boarding procedures on hostile vessels." That got the attention of more than one of the guards.

"Well, we were there, on the Italian flagship, when an alarm went up over on the German cruiser nearby. We went to the deck and watched as a fishing boat plowed into the ship and exploded. A damn repeat of the attack on the _USS Cole_ several years ago. Anyway, the bomb was bigger and had ripped a hole in the ship and she started sinking immediately." One of the younger dragons went wide-eyed.

"What did you do?" Neal nodded.

"I and several of my buddies and a few of our new Italian friends got in a boat and sailed over to lend assistance. The bomb had destroyed the generators so they were unable to shut the watertight doors and save the ship. The crew belowdecks was trying to close them manually but they were being overwhelmed by smoke, fire, and water."

"Well, I went down a hatch and immediately came across a DC, that's Damage Control, team trying to reach some men trapped in a flooding compartment. Reede, my assistant, and I went down another corridor and found the compartment and started carrying the wounded and unconscious out. Once I got topside, I handed the injured crew to the medics on deck and went right back down the hatch again. Came back out, went back in, back and forth, carrying out two, sometimes three or four crewmen at a time. After about an hour, they finally managed to stabilize the ship and the few of us who had lasted the whole hour collapsed on deck with exhaustion." Neal chuckled at something he remembered but then continued.

"Anyway, it wasn't until we were back in the States that we learned that the rescue had made all the papers in Europe. Everyone who had been a part of the rescue was awarded this, the Cross of the _Arminius_ , which was based on the old Iron Cross design. It was awarded personally to me and has the number of the men rescued by me." The dragon snarled.

"How many did you save?" Neal shook his head.

"I carried fifty-six people through a smoke-choked firestorm. Knee deep in oil-filled water that, at any moment, could have caught and incinerated the entire ship. You want an even worse situation? How about pulling eighty-seven people out of a capsized passenger ship?" The dragon stuttered. Neal didn't relent.

"No? How about fighting solo through a ship filled with criminals planning to blow up a port? Let me ask you, I know that nothing I say makes sense to you, probably, but have _you_ personally, ever done _one_ thing that placed your life in so much danger you thought you wouldn't survive? Cause I have." Another guard looked to the dragon.

"He's got you there Magma." The dragon, Magma gave a sour glance to the dragon who spoke but Neal continued.

"Every time I put on that uniform, every time I boarded a ship, every time I put my armor on, I was afraid that that day would have been my last. That I would be killed, or worse, captured, then tortured, held for ransom, at least until my captors got tired of my company and executed me." Neal gave him a cold stare.

"Can you, in your experience, _honestly_ , say that you have done _half_ of what I've done?" Magma sputtered indignantly as Neal glanced at him then turned his gaze back to the street. Then Constance turned to face Neal.

"We're here."

Neal gazed up at the structure before him. A massive castle that would have put the ones he'd seen in Europe to shame. The tallest of the towers, still under construction, looked to have been as tall as Big Ben in London. It was just one of thirteen towers, each a different height, width, and size. Constance saw his face and smiled.

"Impressive, isn't it? This castle, like the city, is the result of what can be accomplished when several different species put aside their differences and come together. Dragons quarry the stone, moles use their engineering expertise, cheetahs, atlawa, and wolves help build and assemble. Heh, and, if you believe the old stories, built on top of the foundations of a _human_ city." Neal looked to her.

"Seriously?" Constance chuckled.

"No. That's just a story we dragons tell our young ones to keep them out of the tunnels that run under the city." Neal rolled his eyes and smiled for a moment and then became serious.

"Alright then, shall we?" Spyro and Cynder nodded and together they started up the steps to the entrance when a sharp whistle came from behind them. They turned to see Hunter and Skylar and a few other cheetahs running towards them. Neal raised a hand on greeting, Hunter and Skylar returned the gesture and then slowed their pace and came alongside Neal. Skylar grinned as he saw Neal's uniform.

"Told you we'd be here. I've got to say, I'm impressed." Neal chuckled.

"Let's hope the rest of the Guardians are." Constance coughed, getting his attention.

"As I said, you've already convinced me. However, once we enter here, I cannot show any kind of favoritism. In there, I am Constellation, Guardian of Shadow. Out here, I am Constance, Mother of Shade and Cynder." Neal nodded, snapping to attention with a razor's precision.

"Understood ma'am." Constance nodded.

"Right, well then, shall we enter?"

The group, minus the crowd but still including the guards, entered the large castle. Immediately, Neal was aware of the large rotunda that was they entry hall. In its middle was the statue of a dragon that was very familiar.

The dragon was Ignitus.

Constance caught Neal looking at the statue and smiled wanly.

"The former Fire Guardian, Ignitus. He perished safeguarding my daughter and Spyro through the Belt of Fire." Constance, in a last show of familiarity, lowered her head so that she was right next to his ear and whispered.

"The news of his survival as the new Chronicler would be well recieved. However, I doubt he would appreciate you sharing that fact without his consent. The Chronicler is revered in a way but is also feared as he only chooses to show himself when times are changing. The last time a Chronicler showed himself, the Night of Eternal Darkness was upon us and Malefor was freed from his prison." Neal gave a slight understanding nod.

"I shall heed your advice Lady Constellation." Constance gave a grin and nodded.

"Good. For a first impression, be formal with the Guardians. Once you get to know them, they will not stand on formality... although Cyril will likely still insist upon it." Neal straightened himself, gave a last check of his uniform, then nodded to Skylar and Hunter.

"Let's go."

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The chamber was well lit, all things considered. Neal had halfway thought of perhaps a skylight or chandaliers or candelabra giving a faint light but instead, strange crystals gave the light that illuminated the room. Across the room, on the other side of a pool of silver-tinted water, were six dragons. Constance picked up the pace and walked ahead and took a position alongside them.

As soon as Constance took her place, the Guardians ceased what they were speaking about and looked up to the new arrivals. Skylar and Hunter, who had been standing in front of Neal, each took two steps to the side, and then three back, revealing Neal who, at a glance from Constance, snapped to attention. Immediately, their expression changed from calm to shock and then each went a different direction.

Spyro could see their expressions and, had he not been in control of his emotions, would have smiled. Volteer looked as if he wanted to jump right in asking questions, Terredor was stoic and evaluated Neal like a General surveying a soldier before him. Cyril eyed Neal with disdain but also alertness, Furnace, was the opposite, his left forefoot flexing repeatedly as if waiting for Neal to attack. Only Leviathan, Gust, and Constance showed no shock but still remained alert.

True to her word, Constance did not show any favoritism. As Guardian, she couldn't afford to.

Spyro glanced at Neal and saw him reach up to remove his cap and return to his previous stance. Saying nothing, waiting to be addressed. Spyro took the moment and stepped forward, with Cynder, and taking a position beside Neal. Terrador saw this and his expression softened, he took a breath and spoke, his deep voice rumbling and echoing in the chamber.

"So, young Spyro. You advance to this... human's... side. From what Prowlus has told us, he has already earned your trust and that of Cynder's." Spyro nodded.

"Yes, Master Terrador. He stood with us in a skirmish against Shadra's apes and held his own. I'll admit, at first we didn't know what to think. Particularly since I honestly had never heard of a human before yesterday." Cynder followed suit and spoke next.

"Our stories tell of humans as a vile race second only to the apes. That they have no honor, no courage, and would rather fight a foe from behind then engage in honorable combat. Yet, I have fought alongside this human, and I have heard stories of his past; stories that, if I hadn't come to know him, I would have dismissed them as false." Cynder looked to Neal and smiled.

"He wears medals of his heroics on his uniform. Ask him about any of them, and he will tell you _exactly_ how he came by each and every one of them. Master Terrador, he is a soldier, like you." She turned to face the Guardians.

"He is a soldier. Wounded seven times in combat. He sailed the waters in defence of his nation. He has taken lives but he has also saved them." Terrador blinked at that and then turned to Neal.

"What say you human? If you are military, you must have a rank." Neal stepped forward.

"Guardian Terrador, sir, I am Chief Petty Officer Neal Foster of the United States Coast Guard, formerly of the frigate _USS Anchorage_. I was a senior boarding officer for the USCG Interception Corps. My duty was to seek out, stop, sieze, and if neccessary, destroy any vessel or vessels operating will ill intent in my nation's waters."

"I have hunted pirates, fought smugglers, terrorists, and apprehended criminals, but I am also a para-rescueman. Trained to fly a machine we call helicopters into storms, battle, and other hazzards to save those imperiled on the sea." This time Leviathan perked up at that, his voice sounding smooth, even, and calm.

"You saved those in peril on the seas? Tell me, how many have you saved?" Neal shrugged.

"I do not have an idea how many I have saved. We never kept track of that number. However, I can say with certainty that I have been called out on a rescue over three-hundred times. I have been called on for everything from a sailing ship with a crew of eight lost at sea with no heading, to a super cargo ship with a crew of eighty foundering in a hurricane, to a capsized passenger vessel with over two-thousand lives in harm's way." Neal saw the Guardian's faces and saw they were trying to comprehend the ship sizes he was speaking of.

"I do not keep track of those I have saved. I simply remember them. Seeing the looks on their faces, the thanks and relief in their eyes, that alone is enough." Neal thought back to an event and smiled.

"One thing I can never forget is the looks on the faces of parents when we return their children to them, alive and safe, the same is true for returning parents to their children. While the Navy is the shield that guards the nation in war, the Guard defends the nation at all times, in peace, as well as war." Leviathan smiled and glanced at the others before speaking.

"I know the feeling, and the sight of which you speak. Truly the joy that radiates from those rescued from the perilous waves is a reward unto itself. However, you must know that, for all your efforts, you cannot save them all. How do you choose who lives and who dies in an event like that?" Neal stopped, remembering he'd once been asked the same question by a son whose Father had drowned at sea because he couldn't reach him.

"I don't. There is no easy answer to a question like that. But when you know that your time is limited, and that you cannot save them all, you just... save the first person you come to. That's all. I have been in those situations. I have had to pass people by who were pinned by debris, begging, pleading, screaming for me to save them. Yet I knew that, if I stopped to help them and more people died that I could have saved, I would have done the wrong thing." Leviathan nodded and said no more. Then Cyril spoke, his voice haughty and arrogant, but to him it seemed cold.

"So. The nightmare of countless hatchlings is in fact truth. Being a soldier is all well and good but you do not seem to be of nobility." Neal fought the urge to chuckle.

"If you'll forgive me, Guardian Cyril, it is my undertanding that there are two types of nobility. Those noble by blood, and those noble by deed. I confess I am not noble by blood, but I ask you to see that I am noble by my actions and deeds. Yes, so far you have heard about the missions that went well, but you have yet to know of my failures. Even my greatest. I am not perfect. On my last mission, I lost not only the lives I had been entrusted to save but I also lost my crew, my best friends, and my disdain for the impossible." Cyril halted for a moment, unsure of what to say, when Constance spoke.

"I believe that, though words may suffice for some, others may wish to see the events unfold for themselves. Neal Foster, step towards the Pool of Visions. The magic will react to you and thus your memories, your life, will be shown to us as an open book. Show us, what you would believe gives us the best understanding of you." Volteer then gazed to her curiously.

"Guardian Constellation, what do you mean that 'the magic will react to him'? According to our lore, humans had no magic to themselves. Except what they gleaned from fairies, fawns, and other magic folk." Constance nodded and turned to Volteer.

"It is because he is... unique for a human. Please, let him show you his past before we go into greater detail about him." Volteer nodded.

"Fair enough. Let us see his story for ourselves." The other Guardians nodded in agreement.

As Neal neared the pool, it started to glow. He felt... a presense touching his mind sifting through his thoughts and yet not wanting to touch them without his permission. Placing his hand upon the pool, Neal opened his mind and gave the presence full permission to use whatever would convince the Guardians he was no threat to them.

As the pool glowed softly, Neal felt his eyes growing weary and heavy. Soon he was awake again, and looking at a familiar person. His Father.


	9. Memories

Well everyone, I'm sorry to say but the gears have slowed down for World Fury for a moment. I need some time to make the upcoming chapters all fit together so fr the moment I shall be working on Forge Summoner for the moment.

I just need some time on another project to let the idea clock wind itself back up for a bit. Until then, please enjoy. Plus things have been rather uneventful around here recently. In order to stave off boredom I actually took to using Flex Seal and Superglue to glue empty coke cans together to make a sword of sorts.

Did I honestly just type that? Well, _that's_ something I never thought I'd do. Just what in blazes am I going to do with a mock sword made entirely of aluminum cans bonded together by rubber and superglue?! Gah, maybe I should go outside and work on those blasted muskydine grape vines. They need to be trimmed back before they start blooming.

On a lighter note, I have started making some art for LoS: Forge Summoner. It's on my DeviantART page. Look me up if you have the time. I'm no Picasso or da Vinci but I do try my best with what I have.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 8: Memories

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Neal gazed into the green eyes of his Father, Joseph Foster. He was sitting at his workbench in the garage working on a rifle when he heard something and turned, spilling a bottle of gun oil all over his jeans. The source of the disturbance was a young boy coming into the garage. Neal felt his breath catch as he recognized the boy. And then he remembered all the clearer what happened next.

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Joseph Foster grumbled to himself about being careless with the oil and then looked to his five-year old son, Neal, with an expression of worry yet also a knowing.

"What's the matter Tyke? Another nightmare?" Young Neal nodded, clutching a little stuffed dragon toy he always slept with. Joseph chuckled for a moment, rose from his chair, turned off the lamp, and then walked to his son. Suddenly feeling tired, he glanced at the clock and gasped.

"Goodness. After midnight already? My, how time flies..." He turned his attention back to Neal.

"So Tyke, what'll it take to get you to go back to sleep so that your Mom doesn't yell at me again for keeping you up on a school night? A glass of warm milk? A peanut butter and jelly sandwich? A bedtime story?" Neal lowered his head. None of those was what he was curious about.

"Dad... are you going to go somewhere?" Joseph started and then eyed his son.

"You little scamp. You were eavesdropping on your Mom's conversation ith me, weren't you?" Neal blushed embarrassed.

"I didn't mean to. It's just that Danny and I were wrestling and we sort of knocked the phone over and we heard you. Why are you leaving now?" Joseph sighed.

"Well son... You know that money right now is tight and that we need to save every penny we can. There's a collector up in New York, he's interested in buying some of my restored works. He's given me a guarantee on the price of the collection, all he needs is to see the weapons for himself and he'll cut me a check that same day." Neal shuddered.

He _knew_ his Dad would rather die than surrender a part of his prized collection. For him to talk about selling a part of a collection that him, his Dad, and Danny had spent several summers piecing together and restoring... it was as if he was selling a part of himself. Joseph sighed and scratched his head as he eyed the gun case where all the prized weapons in his collection were stored and sighed.

"Tomorrow I'm headed to Barn's to pawn the Garand for gas money and then I'll load up the pieces he wants to buy and, hopefully, I'll be back before next week. Until then, you listen to your brother, alright Tyke? He's the man of the house while I'm gone." Both Little Neal and real Neal nodded, a tear coming into Neal's eye as he watched his father pick his younger self up in his arms, give him a hug, and then take him back up to his room to tuck him in.

In the distance, he heard the echoes of the Guardians.

 _"I sense a great sadness within this memory... something must have happened afterwards..."_ The voice was Constance. The next was Terrador.

 _"Hmm... the date of that memory says September 10, 2001... I wonder what happened..."_ Neal felt the urge to speak and when he did so, his voice was haunting, echoing.

"The next day... the world as I knew it ended..."

Neal's vision faded.

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When Neal's vision refocused, he realized immediately where he was. He was in his old school. It was his old classroom. At the front was Mr. Gordon Brook, a teacher who was always fun to be around. He actually made learning fun for the entire classroom. What made it more so was that Mr. Brook had a twin brother, Coach Daniel Brook, who taught the class directly across the hallway. Whenever Recess rolled around, the Brook Brothers allowed their classes to mingle, play together and do whatever they wanted as long as it didn't hurt anyone or anything.

The date was September 11, 2001.

Halfway through the lesson, the door opened and Coach Brook comes in, crying, his face pale and muttering something Neal couldn't understand. Coach Brook went to his brother and whispered something in his ear. Immediately Mr. Brook got the same look on his face and used the class phone to call the principal who came running to the classroom as Mr. Brook turned on the radio.

 _"Ladies and gentlemen, if you are just tuning in, we have just witnessed yet another plane, another jet, crash into the south tower of the World Trade Center... there's... there's fire everywhere you can see debris and paper falling from the gaping holes in the towers... My God... How could this have happened? I'm sorry... we... we have to cut the broadcast for the moment but we'll be back as our affiliate stations in New York get more information to us..."_

For the rest of the day, no one said a word. None of the teachers. None of the faculty. None of the staff. Not even Charles Redfort, the chatty janitor who always had a tall tale to tell or a wisecrack to ease tension. Everyone was just... quiet.

That afternoon, Neal was with his Mom when a familiar truck drove up outside. Neal looked to Danny and his Mom and cried out joyfully.

"Dad's home!"

Neal watched as his Father came in through the door, hsi face red from sobbing, his knuckles white from clenching. He came to his chair and sat down heavily and groaned softly. His Mother went to try and comfort him but he gently pushed her away and sighed.

"I just learned... that the man who was wanting to buy a piece of my collection was in the North Tower when it collapsed. All those people..." Neal's Mom gripped his Dad's hand and said something to try and soothe his frayed nerves but it had no effect. Joseph gazed up to his wife and then to his children and then to the old tattoo on his forearm, a Navy insignia with an anchor and banner that read 'Always Ready' and nodded.

"In the morning... I'm going to the recruitment office... I'm reenlisting with the Navy. It'll mean that I'll be gone for a while but you'll still have money coming in for the bills. There's going to be hell to pay for this, just you see. There's going to be pure damn Hell to pay..."

Again Neal's vision faded. The Guardians were silent.

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October 21, 2004.

Neal had just come home from school. He still couldn't believe it. After 9/11, both Mr. Brook and Coach Brook had enlisted with the Army. Yesterday both of them had been killed in a roadside bomb attack. The school had gathered for a small memorial service to remember them, and then the day had continued as always.

The war was everywhere. In the news. In the gossip. Even in school. Neal had gotten into a fight with one of the school bullies for picking on Jonah Mills because they said he looked Arabic, even though they knew he was in truth Native American. They were looking for a fight and boy did they find one.

Neal had a black eye and a broken right hand to show for his defence of his friend. One bully had a similar broken hand but that was because the dumb oaf missed the punch and struck the steel stop sign at the intersection. The leader of the gang had a cracked rib from where Neal had tackled him when he was stomping on Mills. The other had a concussion from where Mills had roundhouse kicked him, Chuck Norris style, and sent him flying into a mailbox.

On the downside, Neal had been suspended for one week since he hadn't instigated the fight, merely stood up and protected his friend, _and_ he was going to be grounded for a month. On the upside, the bullies, once they recovered from their butt-whooping, would know not to mess with Neal Foster or his friends again. Not that they would since they were all three expelled.

When Neal got home, instead of finding his big brother ready to tear him a new one and him Mom ready to finish off what was left, he saw a black four-door SUV in the drive way he didn't recognize. The mark of the US Navy on the doors.

Sudden hope filled his chest as he rushed for the door and threw it open expecting to see his Dad, standing there like a hero. Instead, as the door opened, he saw a Navy Chaplain sitting there with his Mom, who was crying hard, and across from them, was Danny, head in his hands shaking it back and forth as if he was trying to rid himself of a thought. The Chaplain turned to face him and then motioned for him to come close.

His heart, once full of hope, fell through his chest and into his stomach like a lump of lead. He'd been over at Lillie's the week before when something similar had happened. A Marine Rabbi had come to tell her that her older brother who had enlisted one year earlier, fresh from high school, had been killed.

The Chaplain knelt in front of him, took a steadying breath, and said the words that cemented it.

"Neal, I'm sorry to tell you that your Father was killed this morning... It was a roadside bomb... He... He died a hero... If he hadn't detected that bomb and done what he did, a whole lot more than just your family would be getting this visit. He saved a lot of lives. You should be proud of him."

Neal felt tears coming to his face as he saw his younger self crumple. The young man who had faced off against three bullies for the sake of his friend. The young man who had kept getting back up no matter how many times he had been knocked down. That young man sank to the floor of the house and wept. He realized then, as he had all those years ago, that last night, back before 9/11, was the last night he ever got to see his Dad alive. He felt the tears returning.

"I was always proud of him... I just... I wish I could have told him once, just once, how proud I was to be his son. One more time to tell him how much he meant to me and Mom, and Danny. But I never got it."

Neal turned to glance at his older brother, seventeen, young, strong, a straight A student and a star on the football team.

"The next year... Danny enlisted... following Dad's footsteps... Only he wanted to be a pilot. Less of a chance of getting blown up I guess..."

When Neal's vision faded, he heard whispers from the Guardians and those around him but couldn't make anything specific out.

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August 8, 2013

Neal didn't go to school that day. He didn't even get out of his bed. He just stayed there and wept, shouting curses into his pillow. He didn't understand how something like this could have happened.

Just two days ago he was chatting with Danny over a video link asking his advice on what military branch he should join. The call was interrupted by a scramble order being issued and Danny had to cut it short but promised to call back.

He never did.

That cold feeling in Neal's stomach returned. The next day, the same Chaplain who had spoken to him, his Mom, and Danny about his Dad returned to bring the sad news that Danny's plane had gone down in the desert while he was on the mission. His wingman had lost sight of him, there was suddenly an explosion, a thunderclap, and debris started raining down from the clouds.

At first it was thought to be a SAM but that was ruled out and then simply chalked up as 'mechanical failure'.

He was the only one left now. Neal knew his Mom was sick but she wouldn't dare say a word to anyone. He was working a piss-poor part time job bagging groceries at the local market, a job that those days _anyone_ would have been happy to have. Still, Neal realzied that, if he was going to pay for the medical treatments his Mom needed, as well as maybe have a chance at saving money for college, he needed a career change. Something that would allow him to serve yet still keep him close to home.

The National Guard was out, they were being deployed and rotated so much one of the locals had called it a Merry Go Round. The Navy wouldn't take him, having lost both his Dad and now his older brother overseas. Technically he was considered the 'sole survivor'. A gust of wind blew a flyer in through the open window and it landed right on Neal's desk.

It was a flyer for the United States Coast Guard.

"I wasn't the only one who joined up. Several people I knew, including my best friends, enlisted. Heh, of the twenty-six of us who enlisted for the CG, only Mills and Roberts passed the bar of Officer Candidacy School. The rest of us went to basic and had to work our way up."

Neal felt eyes everywhere on him as the vision blurred out. He then thought of something and remembered basic training.

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October 12, 2013

The first thing Neal was aware of was a spray of super-cold salt water hitting him in the face as a water main broke. The force of the pressure was enough to send him backwards into the bulkhead of the compartment. Lee, the Class Medic, was with him in an instant. Despite the ringing in his ears, Neal could hear him.

"Foster, you alright?" Neal gave a nod and then pointed to the main. At the same time, the voice of Senior Chief Petty Officer Lowe burst through the intercom.

 _"The water main in your compartment has ruptured. You have three minutes to seal it before the compartment floods and you all drown. If the water reaches above the red line, it will short out the lights simulating an electrical failure. Hop to it."_

Despite the words 'you all drown', this was all part of Damage Control training. The 'compartment' was an open topped tank that simulated the insides of a ship complete with pipes, wiring, and everything else one would find on a ship. Of course the wiring was waterproof and, as an added safety measure, they weren't even powered. The power to the lights was controlled by the same master control board that Chief Lowe was stationed at, overseeing this crucial part of the training.

Neal thought that Mick, another member of their class was right when he said that 'every sailor is a mechanic at heart'. Nearby, Lanie, another classmate, was busy trying to find the right tool. She was panicking and Neal knew that was going to count against her. He glanced at Bear, another classmate and in Neal's own words, 'the biggest son of a gun he'd ever shook hands with'.

Standing seven foot nine, weighing close to three-hundred pounds, all muscle, Bear was a former weight-lifting champion for his school district. He was the biggest, strongest, but also the nicest guy he'd ever met. Plus, he was a wizard with mechanical equipment. Neal quickly realized what he needed and then went to where Lanie was and then turned to Bear. He had to yell over the rush of water.

"Bear! What size do you need?!" Bear eyeballed the fittings on the pipe and glanced back to Neal.

"I need a three-quarter drive!" Neal looked at the kit before Lanie and then grabbed grabbed the correct wrench right out of the gate then looked to her.

"Lanie, open the DC station there and get the clamps marked 'Main Repair' and get them to Bear and me!" Neal then turned to Stanson, the fifth man on the team in the DC chamber, who was manning the pumps.

"Stanson! Keep on that pump, we've got to keep the water _below_ the red line!" Stanson nodded to him and kept at the work. To her credit, Lanie knew what to grab and immediately had the clamps in hand as Neal turned to her. He then motioned for her to help Stanson with the pumps and then he and Bear set about repairing the damaged water main.

With Bear holding the clamps in place, and Neal working the ratchet furiously to tighten them, they managed to get the main stopped with only half an inch left between the water level and the red line. Chief Lowe came on the horn again.

 _"Class Bravo 228, Squad 1, DC repair time: one minute twenty-five seconds. Good work. Let's see you beat that time tomorrow. Alright, boys and girls, out of the water, drain the compartment, and reset for Squad 2. MacIntyre, if I see you pull that shit you did before in here, I'm going to kick your ass so hard you'll have to fart through your collar, fair warning."_

Neal grimaced as he saw MacIntyre again. Who would have thought that underneath that joker persona was a keg of dynamite with a one-second fuse. MacIntyre was alright as long as you found his jokes funny, which most of the class did, with the exception of straight-laced Eric Fuller.

 _(two weeks later)_

Neal was awoken by the sound of MPs rushing the barracks down the aisle. Immediately he saw Chief Lowe, red-faced and _extremely_ angry. They stopped before MacIntyre's cot and Lowe physically yanked him out of the cot, slammed him against the wall and glared daggers at him.

"Tell me something. How the Hell can you have the balls to come back into this barracks and get a good night sleep after what you've done?! Huh?! Answer me punk!" Lowe then did something Neal had never seen the verbally abrasive DI do. He kneed MacIntyre in the abdomen so hard he actually went down gasping for breath. Lowe turned to the MPs.

"Get this piece of shit out of my barracks and off my base. I'd kill him myself but I don't want to waste a bullet."

The MPs dragged MacIntyre out of the barracks as the rest of the class looked to Lowe who, now vented, sunk to one of the cots with a haunted expression on his face. Before Neal could work up the courage to ask what had happened, Lowe looked to them.

"MacIntyre killed Fuller last night. Apparently lured him to the DC unit, knocked him out, tied weights around his ankles, and flooded the chamber. We found him just a while ago."

Neal then remembered the arguement, about how Fuller said he didn't find MacIntyre funny one bit. He wondered again, as he had back then, what could have driven a man to kill another just because he didn't agree with his type of humor? Then again, like he'd heard before, men had killed, and had been killed, for less.

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The intervening years were eventful, but, Neal thought, nothing noteworthy to show the Guardians. He then flashed forward to that fateful day.

December 23, 2017

Two days until Christmas. Neal was standing on the deck of the _Anchorage_ watching the newest ship in the Gulf fleet, _USS Interceptor_ , a new class of cutter based on new shipbuilding technology. He felt a tap on his shoulder and saw his best friend Mills standing there with a cup of hot coffee in hand. He smiled and took the cup with a thankful nod and then resumed gazing at the _Interceptor_.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" Neal nodded to his friend.

"She is. Ah, if only she had a helipad on deck, I'd probably request reassignment to her." Mills looked to him with mock astonishment.

"Why? Are we not good enough for you as a team? Tired of our comeraderie? Or company's not good enough for you? You'd rather be sailing around intercepting pirates and drug runners again? You got it in your head to try and get yourself a seventh Purple Heart?" Neal chuckled.

"Well, maybe, maybe not. Anyways I'd probably get a more peaceful night's sleep on her than I would here." Mills looked to him flat.

"Why's that?" Neal struggled to keep a straight face as his friend walked right into the joke.

"Because your snoring keeps half the ship awake at night. Turner, down in Engineering, says he can't tell the difference between those old diesils or you at night. And Cray is thinking of duct-taping your mouth shut so that you don't startle his nuggets, they're jumpy enough as it is. Every time you snore they think we're under attack." Mills chuckled.

"Who would attack us? Mexico? South America? Panama? Cuba? We're close allies with most of those countries. They'd have no reason to attack us." Neal started to say something when an alarm went off.

 _"Attention. Attention. Flight Echo-Niner-Delta-Foxtrot, report to flight deck immediately. SOS recieved."_ Neal handed the coffee to a nearby crewman and glanced to Mills.

"Coffee break's over, time to go to work." Mills nodded.

"You wake up Edwards and Hawkins. I'll get the orders and get the bird warmed up. Damn shame. A perfect morning shot to hell."

 _(moments later, on the flight deck)_

Neal fastened his seatbelt and glanced at Mills who was waiting for Hawkins and Edwards to sound off before he lifted off.

"What's the situation?" Mills looked to him.

" _SS Verdant Winds_ , English cargo ship. She got swamped by a breaker and her forward hatches caved in. Bow section is already flooded and underwater, surviving crew is huddled on the aft castle. They managed to seal the watertight doors at the midsection but no idea how long that'll last. Twelve survivors." Neal shuddered.

"Sounds like her back's about to break. We got reinforcement on this?" Mills nodded.

"Your new love interest is supposed to be rerouted to assist with picking up survivors but she won't arrive for an hour and a half. We can be there quicker and get the worse injuries off the ship and back. By that time _Interceptor_ should be close enough to finish the rescue." Neal nodded.

"Solid copy on that. Alright boys, let's go be fishers of men." Mills keyed the radio.

"Attention _Anchorage_ this is Echo-Niner-Delta-Foxtrot, callsign _Neptune_. Requesting permission to take-off."

 _"This is Anchorage, permission granted. Good luck."_

The chopper rose from the deck and into the sky. As the cleared the vessel, Neal heard Edwards come onto the radio.

 _"Mills, I'm hearing something odd back here. I think the engine's creaking or something."_ Mills sighed.

"This old girl is older than my Grandma. _She_ creaks alot too. You just strap yourself in nice and tight." He turned to Neal.

"Okay Neal, take us to heading one-two-zero." Neal nodded.

"Adjusting heading to one-two-zero aye. Setting rotors for max power." Mills keyed the radio.

" _Neptune_ to _Anchorage,_ we are away. ETA fifteen minutes at max power."

 _(several minutes later)_

Neal was scanning the water which had turned choppy and gazed at the darkening clouds.

"I don't like the looks of this weather. I also don't see the ship. Are we at the right coordinates?" Mills checked his map and nodded.

"We _have_ to be. According to this we _should_ be right on top of them!" Neal keyed the radio.

"Hawkins, unfasten yourself and peep out the door. Do you see anything that looks remotely like a ship with it's ass sticking out of the water? Think the last hour of _Titanic_." There was a sound as the starboard door opened and then the radio.

 _"That's a negative on contact I... wait! Down there bearing zero-four-niner! I have debris!"_ Neal cursed.

"Any sign of life?"

 _"Negative Chief. Looks like she succumbed to her wounds and went down. I don't even see a life raft down there."_ Neal nodded and prepared to radio the _Anchorage_ when suddenly that creaking noise was heard again, only this time louder. Neal glanced around the cockpit and then to his buddy.

"Mills, let's get back to the ship." Mills nodded and started to set the coordinates when the creaking stopped was a loud _clang_ and then alarms started blaring in the cockpit. Neal glanced at the compass and saw the chopper was spinning like a top. Through the radio he heard Hawkins scream and then heard Edwards shouting that Hawkins had fallen out. Thinking quickly, Neal grabbed the radio and did the one thing he'd hoped he'd never have to do.

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is _Neptune_ to _Anchorage!_ Have suffered engine failure and are going down! I repeat: we have lost engines and are going down! Mills, altitude!" Mills paled.

"Under one-hundred." Neal keyed the radio.

"Edwards! Brace for impact!"

The straps held Neal in place as the chopper slammed into the ocean. He heard the sound of the tail rotor breaking away and then heard the top rotors snapping. However, he felt his left leg and hip and cried out in pain. He could tell they were broken. He struggled to undo his straps and turned to Mills and froze with horror.

A piece of the top rotor had broken free and ripped into that cockpit of the chopper, pinning Mills to his seat as water poured into the cockpit. His abdomen was ripped open and he was bleeding badly but still alive. Neal managed to grab for the oxygen mask near him as the cockpit went under but Mills was unable to reach his. Neal could see he was going into shock and tried to reach him but it was no use. The rotor was too badly embedded. To try and remove him would kill him.

Mills gave Neal a pained glance and mouthed the word 'Go.' to him as he pressed the red button by his seat. Several small charges blew the front of the cockpit off and the vaccum of what air was left sucked Neal out of the chopper. He glanced back just in time to see Mills close his eyes and release his held breath, consigned to his fate as the chopper sank into the Gulf. Neal glanced down to his vest, triggered the device, and felt the shock as the live vest inflated and he quickly rose back to the surface.

The clouds were dark now as Neal reached the surface. Lightning arced across the sky and thunder boomed and rain poured. he suddenly felt a hand grab him and pull him backwards. Turning his head, he saw Edwards, battered and bloody, struggling to pull him to a life raft that had broken free from the chopper when it crashed. As they reached it, Edwards helped him into the raft and pointed to Hawkins.

"He's still alive... but... I think his back may be broken." Neal gazed at his other friend and saw the injuries. Despite not having a first aid kit, Neal immediately began to triage his friend when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A quick glance saw a triangle slip beneath the waves. He immediately paled and looked to Edwards who was still in the water.

"Edwards! Get out of the water, NOW!" Before Edwards could move, something grabbed him and pulled him under. Neal ripped the life vest off, regardless of the pain, and drew his sidearm. He saw another fin surface and fired two shots at it, trying to scare the second shark off. Then, he saw a third. They were swimming for a spot of water a little ways away.

To Neal's horror, the water bubbled and Edwards shot up to the surface, the pressure gauge on his vest auto-triggering, meaning the shark had dragged him to forty feet before the vest ripped him free. He was bloodier than before and screaming in pain. All three fins surfaced and closed in on the wounded diver. Neal started firing.

Three rounds hit the first shark which dived underwater. As Neal fired the fourth round, the weapon jammed. Edwards started screaming louder as Neal struggled to clear the gun. Then, it stopped. He gazed up and saw that the sharks, and Edwards, were gone.

Neal dropped the gun, turned to his friend, who was still now unconscious, but still moaning in pain. Neal moved to the other side of the raft and wept.

As Neal watched his younger self, he saw his friend give one last rattling breath and then go silent as death took its third victim. He heard muttering around him and sighed.

"I never felt so alone as I did that day. I watched one friend drown. Another, ripped apart and devoured by sharks. And the last died in front of me. I failed them. I failed in my duty, as a medic, and as a friend. These medals I wear... I earned them because I knew my friends were there alongside me, giving me strength to do the things I did."

The vision blurred and he returned to the Guardian's chamber where, as Neal looked around, several other dragons and dragonesses were there who had decided to see what the fuss was about. The Guardians were stoic but he could see that his memories had reached them.

"I've saved so many lives. Yet, when the time came for me to save my friends, all I could do was save myself. I never claimed to be a hero. Never wanted to be one. Events just unfolded like they did. That flight was the last time I got into a helicopter. I didn't lose my love of flying... but without my friends... without a purpose... the skies just seemed... so empty..." Constance cleared her throat and gazed to the other Guardians.

"As we all know, the Pool of Visions does not show false memories or thoughts. What was witnessed was the truth of his story. Now I believe I can address your earlier question Guardian Volteer. I have witnessed, and have others witness, that Neal Foster, the human who stands before us, is a Forger." Immediately Volteer's eyes shot to her and then to Neal.

"H-How is this possible? Our lore says the magic was lost when Malefor turned to darkness." Constance shook her head.

"Not lost. Sealed away. Away in another world, another dimension. The magic came to roost in Neal's family bloodline. He is the first Forger in his family but he is not the first to feel the pull of the magic. He has sought out Spyro and Cynder to ask for their protection until he learns more about his powers." Cyril huffed.

"That may be. But where will he stay? We would have a riot on our paws if we allowed a _human_ , a creature that, despite one being before us, is still considered a bane to dragonkind, to stay anywhere close to the Academy, the Hatchery, and the Egg Chambers. Nor do I think that any dragon would consent to keeping them close at hand." At that moment, a dragon Neal didn't recognize stepped forward.

"How about the slums? The human would be out of the way of any prominent dragons, away from any dragon families, and, if he is indeed a Forger, he may be of use in rebuilding that part of the city." Constance glared at the dragon.

"You are proposing we send a Forger, the first we have had in several centuries, who does not the dangers of our world, into the only part of the city where the Watch has no ability to protect him?! Lord Vesuvius, do you honestly expect me to-" Vesuvius turned to her.

"Guardian Constellation I expect you to do nothing. The Guardians are the protectors of our race and Spyro and Cynder are our Champions but _I_ represent the King and Queen of our species in this matter. I am confident that they would agree with me, and if not, then I can always amend the decision." He looked and gave an arrogant smirk to Neal.

"Besides, if he _is_ a Forger then people will be less inclined to harm him. All he has to do is find a place to give him a room, and stay out of the way of the Watch and out of trouble until Their Majesties return and here him out. I am not saying Spyro and Cynder cannot visit him, but for the safety of himself... and for all dragons, he must remain seperate from our populace." Leviathan scowled.

"You mean to keep him seperate and make sure the people do not get used to his presence so that there are none to argue should Their Majesties decide to cast him out. Plus, this will also deny his request for protection. As a Guardian, I cannot condone this." Vesuvius scowled.

"The Guardians protect the people in times of _crisis_. We are _not_ in crisis, we have no army at our gates. As ranking member of the _Nobility_ I have the authority of the noble houses on my side. The decision stands. Magma, have a guard escort this _guest_ to the slums. Perhaps that new recruit... what's his name... Flame?" Magma scowled.

"The young foul-up. Hard to imagine that _he_ is the son of Helena and Ash." Vesuvius nodded.

"Send him out." At that moment, Skylar stepped forward.

"As Neal saved my life when we first met, I swore my bow and sword to him. In the absense of Spyro and Cynder to protect him, I shall take up a shield to protect him in their stead." Neal saw both Magma and Vesuvius' expressions turn sour and saw relief on Constance's face. The Guardians looked to one another and then nodded.

"Very well. And since Vesuvius has deemed fit to assign a _dragon_ guard to him, maybe it would be a chance for a dragon to learn the truth about humans. We, the Guardians, hereby do also task young Flame with the human's protection." Terrador glanced to Magma who looked as if he had taken a bite out of a rotten deer.

"Where is the lad?" Magma shrugged.

"Knowing that air-headed whelp, probably training. That's all he does." Terrador turned to Neal and Skylar.

"It is decided then. Until the return of the King and Queen, we ask you to be patient and use your abilities to help improve the lives of those in the slums of Warfang. If you can make a noticable impression there, then there may be hope yet." Neal nodded.

"Hope... it's been a long time since I've had that..."


	10. A Special Kind Of Home

Well, here we are again. Time marches on, and just because _I_ want to put a hold on my ideas until I can get caught up doesn't mean that my mind wants to. I've been meaning to update since the start of the _year_ but I've just _not_ had the time or the chance.

Well enough about me, you all came for the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 9: A Special Kind of Home

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Magma growled lowly as Neal walked down the street before him. Flame had been less than thrilled about being assigned as a guard but at the same time found the idea exciting. What got his ire even more was that, even though he had made certain that only guards who disliked the human at a glance were assigned to make sure he got to the slums, the human, along with Skylar, seemed to be winning them over.

Neal was still in his dress uniform and had been asked several more questions about his decorations, insignias, and badges. A water dragoness guard had been enthralled with the knowledge that Neal was a para-rescueman and, coupled with that, had medical training. A few cheetahs who hadn't met Neal were being enthralled by both Skylar's retelling of their hunting challenge, the target challenge, the skirmish, and also by Neal's Expert Marksmanship Badge.

Despite the intent that the group would make a swift and quiet exit from the city proper, apparently news had spread well beyond the Noble District and the common folk were gathered by the street to see Neal. Some, once they saw Neal, decided they weren't impressed and left to go back to their buisiness. Others however, were intrigued and followed the group. Neal thought back to what Ignitus told him and chuckled to himself.

 _(Ignitus was right. Dragons are a curious race.)_

Once the group reached the gate to the slums, most of the group peeled off and went back to what they were doing before. Magma smirked as the slum guards, in their poorly maintained iron armor, opened the gate and saluted the other guards in their ceremonial armor. Neal was amazed, however, to recognize three of the dragons who had been with Constance when they had come to the cheetah village.

They recognized _him_ too. Magma strode forward to the gate Sergeant and gazed hautily at them.

"Sergeant, as per instructions from the Nobles, this _human_ is to be quartered... heh... in the slums. You do not need to safeguard him, just make sure he keeps out of trouble. Now then, Flame, also, for _your_ orders, stay with the human. At least on _this_ detail you can't screw up." Neal gave Magma a glance and then looked down to Flame who seemed downcast and remained mute. He then turned to Skylar and glanced to the soldiers and nodded.

"If any of you know of a place with room to spare I'd be grateful." The Sergeant nodded and then motioned for him to follow another soldier. As they left, he heard Magma cough and call after the soldiers. Neal didn't like the smile on his face.

"You guards do try to put a _shine_ on that armor. You are _guards_ in the servce of Warfang after all." The sergeant gave a polite nod as the gate shut but then her smile turned into a grimace and she scowled.

"What I wouldn't give to show that pompous windbag the properties of stone on metal." Neal chuckled.

"Indeed. I believe it would leave a certain... _impression_ on him." The sergeant turned to say something but then caught on and started chuckling.

"I suppose so. Tell me human, have _you_ ever had a senior officer like that?" Neal chuckled.

"First off, name's Neal, and yeah, I did once. Ensign Bryan Fischer. Before I was assigned on the _Anchorage_ , I was assigned to a shore detail, working with Police and other law enforcement groups to capture any criminals who managed to slip past the cutters in the Gulf. Bastard was as crooked as a grape vine, arrogant as Mr. Windbag back there, wily like a fox, and corrupt, whoo boy, he had worked with as many criminals as he put away." The sergeant looked to him.

"Was he ever stopped?" Neal nodded.

"Yeah, a CGIS officer got a hot tip on a deal on stolen military equipment and busted Fischer in the act. Bastard didn't surrender though, he took his own life rather than face the tribunal." The dragon growled.

"Coward. If he had any honor he would have faced his charges." Neal nodded.

"Like my old CO once told me: Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant taste of death but once. Heh, the old man _really_ loved reciting Shakespeare." A dragon looked to him.

"Shakespeare? Who's that?"

"He was a human poet and playwright back in the Sixteenth Century, some five-hundred years ago. His literature has spanned the ages." The dragon nodded at that.

"That's interesting. By the way, my name's Growler, in case you can't tell, I'm an ice dragon. The Sarge there is Terra, she's an Earth dragoness, and the silent one on your other side is Toxis, she's a poison dragon. A bit of a rare sight in these parts." Neal immediately glanced at Toxias who gave a small nod back to him. As they walked, Terra looked like she was mulling over something.

"Excuse me, Sergeant, is there something you wanted to ask me?" Terra jumped at being spoken to but then gave a small nod.

"Yeah, it's that parting shot from Magma. You can tell what people think of the guard here. Our armor is cast-off, most of the guard is poorly trained, and, in case you didn't know, crime is a little high in the area." Growler coughed.

"Out of control is more like it. You shouldn't sugar-coat the important details Sarge." Terra sighed and then returned to the conversation.

"Anyway, I know that Lady Constance swore us to secrecy but, is there _any_ way at all you could use your abilities to help out?" Neal noticed the sorry states of their armor and nodded.

"Of course. First thing is some better armor. However, I'll need to find a blacksmith so I can get an understanding of how the armor of made in the first place. Tell you what, the sun is going down, I can get started first thing in the morning. For the moment though, is there any place I could find a room?" Terra thought for a moment and then shook her head.

"I doubt you'd like some of the places. To be honest, the best place to find a room would be the Full Moon Tavern. Lyca, the owner, has a few rooms for rent. The only thing is, she's... quirky. She won't accept gems like dragons, she does her buisness only in gold. Kinda like the moles." Neal looked to her curiously.

"So there are _two_ types of currency here? Gems and gold?" Terra nodded. Neal took the Book out.

"Is there a gold coin or does she accept gold in general?" Terra shrugged.

"There's no need for a gold coin here in Warfang. However, she has an understanding about the value of the stuff." Neal nodded and then thought of something.

"Okay, gold currency, I need a copy of a Chinese coin from the ancient age. A round coin with a square hole in the middle. I'd suppose maybe... one-hundred gold pieces would be enough." The quill appeared, getting the attention of the dragons.

 _'While technically not considered Forging, Forgers_ _ **do**_ _need universal currency to further their needs. Next time, ask for something more difficult.'_ Neal chuckled and after a moment, he held a pouch full of gold pieces. Then, he thought of something.

"Do I have a limitless supply of materials in the Workshop or do I need to resupply occasionally?"

 _'Common materials like steel and iron you shouldn't need to worry about. More rare materials like gold, silver, and other special metals need to be discovered and resupplied.'_

"How about... titanium?" The Book hovered for a moment.

 _'It's possible but, why?'_ Terra looked to Neal.

"What's titanium?" Neal explained.

"It's an uncommon silvery metal that is twice as strong as steel, nearly half as light, and as I once heard it, never tarnishes." Terra looked to him.

"If you could make armor out of titanium, that would really help." Neal nodded.

"I can't promise anything but... there may be a shortcut. If you have a spare suit of armor that is not being used, I can study the design and should be able to create some armor that could make due until I learn more advanced techniques." Immediately Growler looked excited.

"I have a spare suit. It was mine before I hit a growth spurt. I just haven't had time to turn it back in yet. It's the same design though." Neal nodded.

"Let's see if I can get a room and then bring the armor to me. I'll see what I can do." Growler gave a thankful nod and then pointed a wingtip to the building ahead.

"There it is, Full Moon Tavern. Since we in the slums get paid in gold, it's the only place we can spend our pay. For a dragon, gold is more of a decorative metal than a currency. It's embarrassing when you think of it." Neal nodded understandingly.

"The nobles think I'll just wait patiently until Their Majesties return. Well, I don't see it that way. I'll help you out any way that I can. If it's in my power, I'll do it." Terra nodded.

"We'd be glad for the help. However, not all the Guards here will be eager for help from a human." Neal chuckled.

"If I have to earn their approval, I'll do it." Terra nodded and then gazed at the building, suddenly catching snatches of songs.

"You may have a chance right out of the gate. Sounds like Watt's squad in in there." Flame audibly gulped, which Neal noticed.

"Flame? What's the matter?" For the first time, Flame spoke.

"Watt... I've met him before... he's not very nice. He likes using his electricity to pull jokes on people. Not _good_ jokes but harmful ones." Terra nodded.

"Well, on the upside kid is that he knows me _and_ I outrank him. Unless he's particularly drunk, he won't be a problem."

Toxis took a few steps and opeend the door to the Full Moon Tavern. Immediately, Neal was awash in soft light from some chandaliers that hung overhead. There were dragons here of all scale colors and sizes, there were also wolves, cheetahs, moles, and even a few atlawa here. Almost immediately the noise died down as the patrons turned to glance at the new arrivals. The cheetahs saw Skylar and nodded their greetings. The dragons in the tavern nodded politely to Terra and her group but then went dead silent as they saw Neal.

Then there was a loud burst of laughing and Neal saw a large, pot-bellied wolf striding towards them. He was about a foot taller than Neal and probably outweighed him by at least one-hundred pounds. The wolf kept laughing at the sudden silence before glancing to Terra.

"By the Great Wolf, Terra! How in the world did you manage to quiet down this noise like that?" Terra chuckled.

"It wasn't me Fenrir, it was actually Neal here." The wolf, Fenrir, gazed at Neal and then chuckled.

"Well, glad to see a new face around here. As you heard, I'm Fenrir, I own the store next door but I usually do most of my buisiness here in the Tavern since most of my customers spend all their time here anyway. Tell me, how did you get these overgrown lizards to tone it down like that?" A fire dragon snorted indignantly at that and rose.

"Be silent you fat furball! That's a _human_ you're trying to butter up. His race is almost as bad as the apes! Until today, I'd thought them a myth." Terra glanced to him.

"That's _quite_ enough out of you Blaze. Go back to your drinks. Fenrir, where's Lyca? Neal, Skylar, and Flame here need some rooms."

At that moment, there was a loud crash and some shouting as a wolf was thrown through the saloon-style doors in the back room and landed flat on his face with a skid. Fenrir chuckled.

"My guess is she's in the back room. Heh, this pup thought he'd try and be fresh with her. I told him, if old Arkus himself didn't have a chance with her, then he sure as the Abyss wasn't."

"Aye, and when that fool wakes up, give him a drink for the road and toss his furry arse out! I swear if he weren't such a pup I'd put his tail in a sling!"

Neal felt his jaw drop.

Lyca stood about the same height as he did. Unlike the other wolves in the tavern though, her fur was the color of mahogany. She had a long, bushy tail, was fairly muscled, and had piercing yellow eyes. Her clothes were modest, and she had a large apron over her clothes. One could tell at a glance that she was _definately_ a female. Neal's eyes managed to stay on her face despite the great swell of her chest that , had she been in the human world, would have managed to put most women Neal had known to shame. She turned to Fenrir and then caught sight of Terra and gave a smile.

"So Terra, did my ears hear right? Some lads looking for a few rooms? How long are they staying?" Neal nodded to her.

"Nice to meet you ma'am. My name's Neal Foster and Skylar, Flame, and myself will likely be staying for a while." Lyca gazed at Neal up and down, memorizing his uniform and then glanced to Skylar and Flame and nodded.

"Alright, as you're with Terra, I assume you know I only take gold in payment. I do so because I work with moles who help repair the place whenever a brawl breaks out and because the drinks and food I sell here are all wolf culture and wolves only take gold." Without missing a beat, she glanced down to Flame.

"You look like you have a question. Well? Out with it!" Flame stuttered and mumbled something which Neal overheard.

"He's curious about your fur. You are the only wolf here with red fur while the rest have brown, black, or white fur." Lyca gave a smile and nodded.

"Understandable. Since you're curious, I am a member of the Red Mountain clan. Our fur is the color of the red rock that the mountain is made of. I didn't want to make my living scrounging the crags of the mountain for prey so I came here. Now then, you are a human, right?" Neal nodded, Lyca smiled.

"Have to admit, you're easy on the eyes. I know the dragons have tales about humans, well, so do we wolves, although the Red Mountain clan is the only clan that _remembers_ our own lore. We have stories about humans who would seek our clan out and stay on the mountain with us as a way to hone their skills and prove their mettle. There are also stories about how our race used to _be_ humans until we were bitten by a wild wolf and changed into our current form." Neal chuckled at that.

"We have similar tales. They say human imagination is one of the greatest assets our race possesses. We can come up with all sorts of stories." Lyca nodded.

"I can respect that. Now then, a few quick and short rules of the place: no causing trouble, respect other's privacy, and no entering the room at the end of the hall. In case you're wondering, that's becasue that's _my_ room. Now then, three rooms, that'll be thirty gold coins, up front and per month." Neal nodded and produced the agreed upon number of coins. Lyca glanced at the coins for a moment but shrugged.

"They look different than the scrip the Guards are paid with but hey, human currency may be different and gold is gold. The rooms are yours." At that moment, the same fire dragon from earlier snarled.

"If you're going to quarter that _human_ here then you can forget about me coming here to drink anymore." Lyca glared right back at him.

"If you think you're going to threaten me then you have another thing coming. Besides, your a Guard, same as Terra here. Where are you going to drink and eat that takes _gold_ scrip? All you dragons think about are _gems_." Blaze snorted, realizing he was defeated, and went back to his drink but didn't stop sulking. Lyca glanced back to Neal.

"Now then, if there's nothing else, you look like you could use a hot meal and a drink. What'll you have?" Neal was conscious of all the eyes on him.

"I could use a beer, and maybe some bread, cheese, and some ham please or beef if you have it." Lyca glanced at him but then smiled and nodded.

"Alright then, how about the rest of you?"

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After eating dinner and saying farewell to Terra and her group, Neal, Flame, and Skylar climbed the stairs up to the second floor where Lyca said their rooms were. Skylar picked the room closest to the stairs, Flame picked the one across from him, and Neal picked the room near Lyca's.

As he entered the room, he saw a bed close to the window, a bookcase stood across from the foot of the bed, a dresser was nearby, as was a door leading to a washbasin, a tub, and even a toilet. There was also a bookstand for reading a book while standing. Neal brought the Book out and set it on the stand and then eased himself on the bed. He heard a tapping and saw the quill writing buisily. He unfastened his coat and hung it on the bed before turning to the Book.

"Any ideas on how I can help turn the slums around?" The quill stopped and then started again.

 _'You're already started. Those Guards... they took a liking to you, as did several of the patrons of the tavern. It looked that even Lyca took an immediate shine to you. Stick to your promises, uphold your word, and you'll succeed.'_

A moment later, there was a knock at his door. As he walked to it and opened the door, there stood Growler, as he had promised, with a suit of old, rusted, iron armor. Neal gave the young ice dragon a nod and sent him on his way. As Neal laid out the seperate plates, sections, and connecting pieces, he began examining each and every piece. Moments later, there was another knock. This time, when Neal answered it, Flame stood at the door, an expression of determination on his face.

"Can I help in any way?" Neal looked to the armor and nodded.

"Can you show me how this all fits together? I need to know what is what in order to create a better version." Flame nodded and started going over the armor.

What amazed Neal was that the armor seemed like a conjunction between several types of armor throughout human history. As Flame donned each part, he named them off for Neal and in return Neal told him the human equivalent.

The helm, which covered the top half of the dragon's head but left the jaw free to bite, and unleash the element they possessed, was similar to a casque. The neck was divided into two sections, a chainmail front that guarded the throat, and a series of plates that went down the back of the neck. The chest plate resembled a European cuirass while the belly plates and tail plates resembled the Roman segmentata, a series of overlapping plates fastened by leather and chainmail. The back plate was merely a shaped piece of metal that had several dozen fasteners that needed to be connected to hold the armor together. Then there was the foreleg and back leg armor, the neck armor, and then the tail plates. As Neal fitted the last group of fasteners on the armor, he felt Flame huff.

"Growler was right, ugh, this armor is _really_ poorly fitted." As Flame breathed in and out, the leather connections creaked, the iron plates on his belly creaked as they expanded and contracted. Neal chuckled and elbowed Flame.

"Naw that ain't it. You're just a little... girthier than Growler. If I was using human equivalents, he's about the size of a quarterhorse while you're more like a clydesdale." Flame grunted.

"I don't know what you're refering to but I guess I'll take that as a complement." Neal nodded.

"That's how I meant it. I mean, the bigger you are, the more imposing you'll look once the armor is complete." Flame grinned at that.

"You think I'd have a chance at gaining the affections of females?" Neal shrugged.

"Well, the old belief is that everyone loves someone in a uniform. Is there a certain female you're interested in?" Flame hesitated for a moment but then nodded sheepishly.

"Yeah... but, there's a problem. She only has eyes for Spyro." Neal made a sound like an 'uh huh'.

"Well, in that case she may be waiting for a while. From what I've gathered, he is in love with Cynder." Flame nodded.

"Yeah, _that_ is obvious to the entire city, all except for Ember, and some of the other nobles who don't like the idea of the purple dragon becoming the mate of the former 'Terror of the Skies'." Neal huffed.

"Some people should leave well enough alone but, then again, humans are the same way. Once they hear something that holds their interest, they are reluctant to let it go. Even a story that is purely fiction, if it's picked up by the right person, can be spread so far and wide everyone would think it's the gospel truth." Flame nodded as he stood there in the armor until finally he gasped and gave Neal a look that all too clearly said 'take this off'.

With the armor removed and once again in an organized layout on the floor, the Book began sketching the layout of the armor while Neal began brainstorming on how to improve it. Flame watched him and the Book for a moment before speaking again.

"So, did humans use armor like this?" Neal nodded.

"Indeed. But that was centuries ago, during a time we call the Dark Ages or the Medieval Period. The defining moment of that time was the Hundred Years War between France and England. It saw the rise of historic figures such as Edward, the Black Prince, and Joan of Arc. After that, armor began to be used less and less in battle and more in a ceremonial role until it was removed entirely." Flame looked astonished at that.

"Why?" Neal sighed.

"Quite simply, to field an army in war, you _literally_ needed an army of armorsmiths to make armor. With the advent of the firearm, which could pierce the armors of the day, no one was willing to field armies of men in armor that may or may not protect them from a musket round. Instead, materials meant for armor were redirected to weapons, what pieces of armor there were was restricted for generals and high-ranking officers while the enlisted went into battle wearing cotton uniforms. By the seventeen hundreds, each nation had their own colors to identify themselves." Neal saw he had Flame's attention and continued.

"The British, for instance, equipped their soldiers with bright red coats, giving their nickname 'Redcoats' and 'Lobsterbacks'. The French wore white uniforms, the Prussians used green, and the American forces, once we started fighting for our independance, wore bright blue." Flane shook his head.

"That doesn't seem practical. Why remove armor entirely? Didn't they care for the lives of their soldiers?" Neal shrugged.

"Some did. Other just saw the foot soldier as an acceptable loss. Losses in war are inevitable. You could equip a company of soldiers with the best uniforms, the best armor, the best weapons, and sent them in battle and they would _still_ suffer casualties." Neal sighed.

"Armor did make a reappearance in the Great War but by then rifles, artillery, everything was so deadly effective that armor was rendered completely useless. Most soldiers issued armor cast it aside because they didn't want to be burdened by it. I think the only force that saw any effectiveness from armor were the Italians who would seek out volunteers: tall, muscular soldiers, strap them with armor, heavy machineguns, and send them forward with the infantry to support the advance."

"What was the difference?"

"Their armor was even thicker. Curved plates were the basis but then the Italians made the armor out of thicker plates. The weight was rediculous but it worked. At least until the Germans developed armor-piercing rounds."

There was a familiar tapping as Neal turned to the Book again which had finished copying the design of the armor.

 _'The sketches are complete. For the most part, all dragon armor conforms to this basic shape and style. The Nobles, from what I've gathered, mainly use ceremonial armor. To create a practical, effective armor for the Guards in the slums, we'll need something more effective than iron.'_ Neal nodded.

"Well, on the bright side we can't do worse than iron. Unless the dragons would like to return to the Bronze Age. So then, probably not enough titanium in reserve for a complete suit, right?"

 _'Right. The best we could do is maybe make the more essential parts, the chestplate and helmet, out of titanium but for the rest we'd need regular steel.'_ Neal sighed and turned to Flame.

"Any idea where I can get a shipment of titanium?" Flame thought for a moment then shrugged.

"If it's a metal, I'd say talk to a mole. There are a few in this area who have connections to mining companies, even a few who work with the manweersmalls at Mt. Boyzitbig." Neal nodded and then noticed through his window that the sun had gone down and yawned.

"Well, that's a problem for tomorrow. For now, we'll have to make due with what's in our power to solve." Flame rose, he yawned and gave Neal a nod before leaving the room. Neal removed his pants, got into the bed, and pulled the clean sheets over him and gave one last look out of the window.

"Tomorrow's a brand new day."


	11. A Brand New Day

Well everyone, I thank you for your reviews of Forge Summoner. I have here the next chapter of the story so, I hope you enjoy it as well.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 10: A Brand New Day

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Neal could hardly hide his smile as Growler stood there, clad in his new steel/titanium armor, grinning like a child and glancing at himself in the mirror at various different angles. As an added touch, Neal had been able to etch Growler's name onto a plate conjoining the neck and chest piece and, after getting an answer from Flame, also etched his rank onto the left and right pauldrons on his foreleg sections.

As soon as Growler came down the stairs from the second floor, Terra, Toxis, and a few dragons currently in the tavern enjoying breakfast stood open-mouthed in amazement at the armor. Neal was dressed in a regular shirt, jeans, and boots as he came down behind him and caught Terra's expression. When she glanced at him, Neal nodded.

"I made a few modifications to what I had originally intended. I don't have enough titanium to Forge a _complete_ suit of armor but I do have enough to Forge the more vital pieces. The chest, neck, and helmet are all titanium, the rest is high-strength steel. He won't be winning any aerial races but you could drop a cartload of bricks on him and he would come out of it without a scratch." Terra nodded, still in awe.

"How many of these suits can you make?" Neal summoned the Book and glanced the his notes then to his mana-chronometer and nodded.

"I can create three more complete sets of armor today before my mana runs out, and I have enough titanium in reserve to create sixteen similar suits." Terra nodded and then sighed.

"So, how much will it cost us?" Neal looked at her, taken aback.

"Pardon?"

"How much do we have to pay you for the armor?" Neal gave a smile and shook his head, remembering what Flame had told him.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I know that your pay only goes so far and for me to charge you for armor that you _need_ would be wrong of me. Besides, the guard here gets cast-off armor because you aren't paid in gems, but rather gold scrip. Just ask me whenever you want the armor and I'll make it." Terra glanced at Neal in shock, as did a few of the dragons in the Tavern. One then growled angrily.

"You're charging _nothing_ for a suit of armor that, if we tried to commission it from an armorsmith, would cost us our tails? Why? If you're trying to buy us..." Neal raised a hand.

"Perish the thought. I'm not trying to buy _anything_. I'm simply seeing something that is needed to be done and addressing the issue. This shoddy, cast-off armor can barely deflect a _butterknife_. _How_ are you expected to do your jobs, which is keeping the peace, when your equipment doesn't afford you the proper protection? How many times have the guards in the other districts laughed, jeered, or insulted you based on your armor's appearance? How many criminals in this part of the city have gottenthe drop on you and wounded you because of your armor's flaws?"

The amount of grumbling Neal heard suggested more than a few instances.

"Well, all I'm giving you is a chance to remove those particular thorns from your sides. As a buddy of mine once said, the fastest way and the first step to lowering a crime rate in a city is to make sure the law enforcement have the tools they need to do their jobs quickly, safely, and efficiently. If they can do their jobs, the citizens will feel safer, which mean the traders will feel safer which means that more buisiness which leads to jobs, better pay, and notoriety. It may eventually be possible that you will be paid in both gems _and_ gold script." Terra gave a smile and nodded.

"Well if that's the case then I know of at least two dragons who could use that armor. Nile and Shock. They usually guard the residential street and they are always getting ambushed, knocked about, or worse, knocked _out_ by thugs wanting to loot a place." Neal nodded.

"Where are they now?" A fire dragoness sighed and raised a wingtip.

"They're both in the infirmary at the barracks. They got jumped last night by Lockjaw and his goons. Beat the living daylights out of them both for no reason whatsoever and then broke into a nearby store. We found them this morning." Terra, Growler, and Toxis paled.

"You mean that the whole street is now unguarded?" The dragoness nodded.

"The Lieutenant said she was planning to assign Erz and Squall in their place." Terra gasped.

"Those two?! But they're as green as my scales! They won't stand a chance." Toxis sighed.

"Sarge, what do you want us to do? We have our orders, proceed to the gate. As usual." Neal gazed at Flame and Skylar and then to Terra.

"I know this is irregular, but what if Flame, Skylar, and myself assisted them in their patrol?" Terra gazed and sighed.

"Flame and Skylar they may allow, but a human, they're young, impressionable, Watt was spouting no end of anti-human sentiment when his squad came in this morning. Those two were some of the first he unloaded on."

At that moment, the door flew open revealing a frantic cheetah.

"The guards on the main street were just jumped! It's Lockjaw again!" Terra and her squad bolted out the door leaving Flame, Skylar and Neal gazing at each other. Neal turned to them.

"Go and help! I'll see what I can pull together and follow shortly!" As they nodded and left, a dragon smirked.

"What human? All that talk about bravery and now you're afraid of a street fight?" Neal grimaced as he turned to the dragon.

"The way I see it, they have enough muscle now to make the thugs think twice. However, did you not hear what that cheetah just said? Two dragons jumped and attacked. That means they'll need medical assistance."

Neal placed his hands on the counter of the bar and a moment later, a bag appeared filled with silk thread, linen wraps, medical tools, and other things. Neal quickly summoned his pistol belt, threw the bag over his shoulder, and ran out the door, closing it as he left and was off like a shot.

The dragons had taken flight, Skylar was only a block away when Neal started after him. Terra and her group were low enough to the ground that he could see and follow them clearly. The streets weren't marked but in the daylight Neal was able to see things he hadn't seen the night before. As he rounded a corner, he heard roaring and yelling coming just ahead and put on an extra burst of speed and saw Skylar just ahead.

"How many?" Skylar nodded to him.

"Eight. Two dragons, the rest are wolves. The two guards are down, I can already tell that one if them is probably dead." Neal cursed and drew his pistol as Skylar readied his rifle.

"I'm going to try and stabilize the other. Keep them off me if you can, but kill only as a last resort." Skylar nodded just as a roar from above got their attention and Terra and her group dropped from the sky, landing hard on the street. Instead of scurrying away like most criminals, and like Neal had expected them to, these stood their ground. One of the wolves, a tall muscular one with a jagged scar over his left eye and a piece of his left ear missing, smirked.

"Look here, the Guard have arrived. This'll make our tally, what, eight within a day?" Terra frowned and stepped forward.

"Lockjaw, you are under arrest." Lockjaw chuckled.

"I've done sent of one of these whelps to his ancestors, you think I care if I add a few more kills to my name?" As emphasis, Lockjaw started towards the other dragon who was still alive and whimpering at the sight of the other dead dragon. As he neared, he raised his dagger to administer the same fate to the defenceless dragon when Neal came around the corner, leveled the pistol, and quicker than anyone could react, he pulled the trigger.

The bullet struck the blade of the rusted dagger cleanly, shattering it like a mirror. The report of the .45 round echoed in the street and Lockjaw stared at the remains of his weapon, dumbfounded, and then gazed to Neal, a curious expression on his face.

"Who and what are you?" The two dragons with Lockjaw immediately hissed and went into defensive positions. One of them spoke, his voice lisping from the poorly healed wound on the right side of his face.

"The rumors were true! There's a _human_ here!" Neal scowled and nodded.

"That's right. Now then, if you'll do as the Guard suggests, there won't be any more trouble." Lockjaw scowled.

"No human. There _is_ going to be trouble. Lads! Teach these guards a lesson and bring me that human's head!" He then looked down to the dragon before him.

"Don't go anywhere. Soon as I'm done with _them_ , you're next." At that moment, Flame moved to stand beside Neal and Skylar came from behind the corner and leveled the rifle at them. Neal looked to Terra.

"Sergeant, orders?" Terra nodded.

"Subdue if possible, but if you're lives are at stake, do whatever is neccessary." At that moment, Neal looked back and saw that one of the dragons and one of the wolves was missing from Lockjaw's group. He caught movement in the shadows and saw Growler and frowned.

"Growler, on your left, in the shadows!" Quick as a whip, Growler turned his head and launched a blast of subzero ice that coated the shadow dragon trying to ambush the group from the side. Neal nodded and then saw the wolves preparing to rush them and he sighed.

"I'm going to have to do it..." Terra looked to him.

"Do what?" Neal saw that Skylar was also glancing at him curiously.

"There is a weapon we humans created that was designed for such instances. A weapon that when used by a human, when angered, is a one-man force of nature." Neal placed his hand on the ground, channeled his mana, and then in a flash, an British .303 caliber Lewis Machinegun was before him. As the wolves looked on in shock, Neal hefted the weapon and, with a sharp jerk of the cocking handle, chambered the first round from the magazine on top and scowled angrily.

"Give your hearts to whatever diety you worship, because your asses are mine." The wolves glanced to the human before them and back to Lockjaw who was growling fiercely.

"Kill 'em all." A group of two wolves charged them while the remaining dragon launched herself towards Growler. Skylar fired a rifle round that disabled the first wolf but by that point the second was almost upon Neal. Neal fired a long burst from the heavy machinegun, twelve .303 rounds shredding the wolf's leather armor and his innards as well. The report of the rifle-caliber machinegun was louder than the pistol and stunned the remaining wolves. Neal leveled his weapon and gave a straight glare at the wolves.

"Drop your weapons, and get down on your knees, _now_." To Neal's surprise, all the wolves, with the exception of Lockjaw, did just that. Even the dragon, who had been just feet away from Terra's squad, also lowered herself submissively. Lockjaw glared at his cowed goons and then back to Neal.

"You have no idea who you're messing with, _human_. You have yet to learn who runs the slums. Fine, lock me up, but mark me, I'll be back on the street by sundown, and then, you'd best be looking behind you when you walk." Lockjaw gave a ghastly grin to emphasize the threat but then his smug look changed to surprise when a whip-thin tail shot up and slapped him in the throat, crushing his windpipe. He gave a pained gasp and choked several times before he went down, shuddered for a moment as his lungs fought for breath, and then was still.

Neal gaped in shock as the supposedly 'cowed' guard Lockjaw had been threatening to kill moments earlier, leapt up to all four feet, swung her tail around quick as lightning and scored a fatal hit to Lockjaw's neck. The rest of the wolves panicked and tried to reach for their weapons but were stopped at the sight of Neal rushing forward, machinegun cradled in his arms, along with the other dragon guards.

Immediately, Terra was beside the young dragoness muttering to her as a parent would do to a frightened child. Neal started to unfasten his medical pack when a soft wuff of air got his attention. He glanced down at the dragon everyone thought was dead and was shocked to see the right eye flutter open, become alert, and gaze right at him. Neal immediately dropped next to him and yelled.

"He's still alive!" Every dragon and wolf turned to Neal as he began examining the dragon's wounds. The dragon was either completely compliant with Neal or he was in shock and unable to mount whatever response he wanted to as Neal was able to grab his head and twist slightly to see the throat which had been stabbed and was bloody but was already clotting. He nodded to Terra.

"He's been stabbed in the throat. Looks worse than it is. Must have missed the major arteries and the windpipe. Didn't do more than cut some muscle and flesh. He'll have a scar and one hell of a sore neck but he'll recover. You are one lucky dragon." The last was directed at the dragon who, once he heard this, gave a ghost of a smile and relaxed as Neal finished triaging him. Neal turned to Terra.

"How are dragons normally treated?"

"Well for the military and for those who can afford it, healing crystals are used but, for us in the slums, it means healing the old-fashioned way." Neal nodded.

"So surgery and bedrest. I have to say, there _are_ easier ways of earning a few weeks at home. Breaking an arm comes to mind." Terra chuckled at that as Neal finished packing the wound with gauze and bandaging the other minor wounds and then Growler lifted the wounded dragon up and slowly carried him away to the guard infirmary. Then he turned to Terra.

"How's she doing?" The dragoness coughed and gazed to Neal.

"I'm fine. Aside from some scratches, I'm alright. Well, except for my pride." Neal nodded.

"I understand. I've had _that_ wounded a few times before myself, however, it isn't normally fatal. A few drinks and a few days off and you'll be right as rain in no time." The dragoness smiled.

"Is that your official prescription?" Neal chuckled.

"No, I'm just a medic and _that_ was what _I_ would do if I had been through the type of day you just had. Besides, as a human, it's illegal for me to prescribe alcohol to a patient." Neal turned to gaze at Lockjaw's body and glanced at Terra.

"So, first thing, what do we do with _him_ and secondly what did he mean before he uh... 'lost his voice'?" Terra sighed.

"I'm unsure, but I _have_ heard that some of the criminals here are aided by spies in the Guard. I personally would hate the idea of a dragon, a cheetah, or a wolf, or a mole helping these criminals evade justice so that they could get right back out here and cause havoc. As for the body, we'll bring him to the guard post, confirm his bounty, and dump him in the sea. Only heroes are honored with a memorial and a grave, the criminals we just toss." Neal nodded at that and then started pondering something.

"Terra, are you and your squad coming by after your shift? I'm going to start working on that armor and figured I might as well get your squad fitted first." Terra nodded immediately.

"After our shift is over, we'll be by there." Neal turned to Flame.

"You going to help get these vagabonds to the jail?" Flame nodded.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to help Terra and Erz fill out the report. I'll see you back at the Tavern."

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 _(later that evening)_

Three suits of armor for dragons. Neal had never felt so drained. The hand on his mana-chronometer that measured his mana was holding firmly at twelve, his mana completely exhausted. The large dinner before him, along with the pint of stout beer helped. Lyca kept glancing back at him as he ate and drank. After a while, she came over and refilled the mug.

"Don't say anything. It's on the house. You can't imagine how many times I've seen dragons coming in here, spent of their mana. Did you know a single adult dragon could eat an entire deer when they have exhausted their mana? Plus, I don't know if you noticed, but this morning, more than half of those off duty guards were almost foaming at the mouth for a suit of armor similar to Growler's. I was contemplating getting the mop when their jaws dropped at you saying that you were doing it for free." Neal chuckled.

"I knew it was a big deal but, it really _is_ a big deal isn't it." Lyca chuckled.

"You were right you know? That armor they have now isn't strong enough to turn a butterknife. The ceremonial armor the 'nobles' use is hardly any better but then again you never see burglars going after the nobles since they often employ private guards who take no prisoners." Neal gave a nod of understanding at that. Lyca continued.

"Allow me to put it in perspective for you. That armor you _gave_ to Growler... most dragons and dragonesses in the Guard here would never get to even _see_ a suit of armor like that. In wolf terms, that armor would be worth around... perhaps... almost ten-thousand gold." If Neal hadn't been sitting, he knew he would have fallen to the floor in shock.

"There's more. For dragons, who deal exclusively in gems, even Spyro and Cynder themselves would have been _barely_ able to afford that armor. You created a suit of armor worth eight-thousand gems and just _gave_ it to a guard who barely makes one-hundred gold per _month_." Neal gave a tremendous sigh.

"I think I'd _really_ like that drink now." Lyca chuckled.

"Why not something stronger? You know, Fenrir says one hasn't lived until they've had at least five swigs of genuine Midnight Forest whiskey." Neal chuckled but shook his head.

"No thanks. Not a strong whiskey drinker. The beer though, reminds me of home. My favorite brand of beer was Guinness and this is similar enough that I don't get homesick. Every day, after flying, I'd come home, fix me something to eat, reach into the fridge, and grab an ice-cold beer. Nothing better on a hot summer day." Lyca chuckled.

"I can think of a few things better, but they are best saved for someone special." Neal was in mid-swallow when she said that and he choked in his beer as the implication sank in. Lyca laughed at his flustered expression and then returned to her work.

"Hey, Lyca. Do _you_ have a special someone?" Lyca gave him a glance and gave her head a short shake.

"Nope. The tavern is my life. I got away from my clan because, quite simply, by the time I turned nineteen, every unmated male and even a few _mated_ ones in the clan was taking an interest in me. They always said I got my Mother's looks but I wasn't just going to accept _anyone_ for a mate. No, I want someone who sees me as I am." Neal nodded.

"Well, whoever you choose, he's going to be the luckiest person in the world." Lyca smiled.

"That's nice of you to say. Perhaps... perhaps some day I'll find him. Or... perhaps... maybe one day he'll just stroll in here, sit down for a bite to eat and never leave." Neal took a drink of his beer and smiled.

"Maybe he will." At that moment, the Tavern doors opened and Toxis came in.

"Neal, we've got trouble! A few of the guards saw Growler's armor and they are _insisting_ he stole it! They've already arrested him and the matter is going before the Commons Guard Commander!" Neal swore.

"I should have thought of something like this happening. Who's the Guard Commander?" At that moment, Flame appeared, his voice weak.

"General Infernon, the older brother of the late Captain Ash, and my Uncle."


	12. General Infernon

Man, finally got a chance to sit down and do some writing for a change. I've spent the better part of the week cutting back those blasted muskidine vines that we let get out of control. Don't get me wrong, it's good they're still growing and producing fruit after all these years but the vines are interlaced with briars, saplings, and other plants that are springing up amongst them.

If I could find a good supply of mason jars, some pectin, and get a good enough amount of muskidines off the vines this spring, I think I might be able to make a few batches of my grandma's muskidine jelly.

Yeah, got bored so went to digging through some old books and happened upon one of grandma's old recipe books. Still haven't found the one with her recipe for buttermilk biscuits but I _think_ I'm getting close.

Anyway, that's enough about my day, here's the chapter. Gah, blasted briars, I have NO idea how the hell one got stuck to my pants but I just sat on it. I'm not talking about the vones with the itty bitty thorns no, I'm talking about what my dad calls the wild variety with the 2 inch long thorns.

...

...

How did I not notice that sooner?

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 11: General Infernon

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Neal gave one last glance to Terra and Toxis, both in the armor that he had Forged for them and then to Skylar and Flame who both gave him nods that told him they were ready. Neal made sure that his new pistol, a German Walther Model 4, was snug in the shoulder holster under his coat. He knew that a human walking around the common areas of Warfang openly armed would cause a stir so he had opted for a concealed shoulder holster and a small weapon to hide and belay any fears. He made sure his coat was fastened and that anyone just glancing at him wouldn't be able to tell he was armed and gazed back to Terra.

"So then, the guards in the common area will open the gates for you to go and explain Growler's armor to the commander, right?" Terra nodded.

"Indeed. While we are going through, you, as the Forger of the armor, will be under our protection. However, when they see us in the same armor they may raise questions." Neal sighed.

"At the rate we're going, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire city knows I'm a Forger by now." Terra sighed.

"I'm sorry Neal, truly, I understand the need for secrecy. Gah, why of all times did Arctis decide to take notice of Growler? The guards in the Commons never noticed us Slum guards before. Always thought we were beneath them." Neal grimaced.

"Probably thinks that, as the dragon who raised the attention, he'll be able to claim the armor once everything is said and done with. Even if he doesn't wear it, he'd be able to get a decent payout is he sold it."

The Book which was nearby opened and started scribbling on a page for all to see.

 _'It is not unusual for someone, once they see a Forged item of superior quality to their own, that they would covet and desire such a piece. Many is the time that a good deed has blown up in the Forger's face when someone wanted what he or she had created for another. Though admittedly, most of these events oftentimes ended in bloodshed. This Arctis is either very cautious, or very intelligent.'_ Terra sighed.

"He's a little bit of both I'm afraid. He's the youngest son of a low-ranking noble house. As the youngest, he will inherit the least when his father joins the Ancestors. As with all noble houses, the youngest are expected to earn their own way into the nobility. He probably wants to sell the armor so that he can start his own 'hoard'." Neal looked at her with a peculiar glance.

"Dragons _actually_ hoard treasure? I thought that was just superstition." Terra nodded.

"It actually was once common practice back in the ancient times before Malefor and before dragons started cooperating with other species. Cities like Warfang didn't exist, dragons were nomadic, living in dens carved into mountains or wherever we felt we could raise our young the safest. It wasn't until just a few centuries before Malefor that we started forming communities and cooperating with various species around the realms. Some nobles though still follow the tradition or hoarding valuables and passing them onto the eldest once they die." Neal sighed.

"Those that do, earn their way in life, those that don't are seen as failures." Terra nodded.

"Either that, or sometimes the eldest will take pity on the youngest and safeguard them. Such is the case with the Lord Ibikiir. His younger brother was unable to raise a hoard to sustain him so he allowed his brother to remain close at hand. It's a rare act of compassion these days, though I suppose they have the relationship they forged during the war to thank for that."

"Is is said that three times, Kaviri saved his older brother from certain death. Say what you want about them but Ibikiir is the brains of the family and Kaviri is the brawn." Neal nodded understandingly at that.

"I know the bond you speak of. I know it well indeed." Toxis cleared her throat.

"We'd best get moving. Has you mana recovered much?" Neal glanced to his wrist and sighed. His mana was still in the red. He had enough, he figured to create just one suit of the special armor but if he was attacked, he wouldn't be able to Forge anything to defend himself. Still, he figured with thses dragons beside him, plus Skylar, and his own training, he'd have a decent chance to defend himself. He nodded to Toxis and then to Terra.

"Let's get Growler back."

The group filed out of the Tavern and onto the street heading for the gate to Warfang Commons. Along the way, Neal kept glancing at Flame who seemed rather fidgety for some reason. Neal didn't want to pry into the young dragon's life but, given the circumstances, he felt he had to ask.

"Flame? Is there something wrong?" Flame glanced at Neal and he thought Flame would remain tight-lipped or tell him to sod off but instead the red dragon sighed and nodded.

"Infernon... he may be my uncle but he doesn't really treat me like family... I think... he sees me and he thinks of my Father, Ash, his older brother... My parents... they both died in the war... rather than raise me, Infernon had me live with my Aunt who didn't like me one bit. Once I was old enough to enlist as a cadet, they both tossed me out and signed me up to join the Guard. He hasn't really spoken to me about much." Neal sighed.

"Perhaps he feels that doting on you would make you expect special treatment, the one thing that someone in command of troops cannot do. He may just want you to grow up and be yourself." Flame huffed.

"Hardly. I've been in the Guard for two years and all I get stuck with are lousy jobs and positions. Everyone who became a cadet the same time as me or after me is already running patrols, or leading squads of their own. I'm the errand boy." Neal gave a nod and didn't push him further. As they walked, the gate to the Commons came into view. On the slums side, two sour-expressions guards were at their posts and nodded to Terra and Toxis as they approached. When they caught sight of Neal, one of them gave a nod to him while the other sighed.

"Do us a favor hu- er... Neal. Bring Growler back to us." Neal gave a nod to each of them and they started opening the gate.

On the other side of the gate, four Commons guards were there and upon seeing Terra and Toxis, immediately one of them went wide-eyed and his jaw dropped. Judging by the fact that he was an ice dragon Neal glanced to Terra.

"Let me guess, _he's_ Arctis." Terra nodded as the dragon glanced at his fellows.

"So there _was_ more than one of those suits of armor! Sergeant Terra I am _truly_ horrified that you and Toxis would accept what is plainly _stolen_ property. Now, I have been speaking with the Commander and he's agreed that if all the stolen armor is turned over to us, Growler will be released with little more than a docking of six-months pay and a reduction in rank." Terra huffed.

"Judging by the look in your eyes I'd say you've been busy counting how many gems the armor would fetch you if you sold it to an armorer. Word of advice whelp, don't spend what you don't have." Arctis gaped and growled angrily but then he caught sight of Neal.

"What is that _human_ doing here?! Captain Magma assured us that the human would _not_ be allowed outside of the slums! He has no buisness here!" Neal frowned and advanced.

" _You_ made it my buisness when you claimed that armor that _I_ had made was stolen by Growler and confiscated it." Arctis coughed and then started laughing.

 _"You_ made that armor? Hah! There's a jest, come human, give us another!" Neal's frown deepened as Terra came forward and, despite Neal's objections, spoke.

"It is truth because he also made _our_ armor as well. The human here is a _Forger_ , capable of creating most anything from memory or from base materials. He made the armor because he saw how our old armor was performing." Arctis chuckled.

"A Forger, well now that _is_ interesting. Perhaps a demonstration of his abilities would suffice?" Neal chuckled.

"And blow my biggest advantage? I don't think so. I am _not_ a jester you can command to amuse you. The only time I shall use my power is when I am standing before the Commander and he agrees to drop your false charges against Growler." Arctis then grinned cunningly.

"Well then, I'm afraid that we cannot let a _human_ into the Commons. _All_ dragons know what a threat humans are and at present the Commons are crowded with female dragons with young children and we would absolutely _hate_ to allow a panic to ensue. I'm afraid you won't be seeing the Commander today, or any day for that matter." Terra growled.

" _You_ do not have the authority! He has requested a meeting with the Commander to dispute the charges, under our laws, he _cannot_ be refused!" Arctis snarled.

"He's a _human_! Our laws govern _dragons_ , not this wretched hairless ape!" Neal scowled and gave Arctis a piercing glare.

"I was always told to respect those in authority and obey the laws. However, if you refuse me the right to inform the Commander that an innocent dragon is being held on false charges, then I _will_ act. If I have to fight my way through you, I will." Arctis smiled, exposing his teeth.

"That sounds like a threat human, and, according to our laws, threatening a guard or inflicting harm on a guard is a death warrent. So then, you want to fight through us? I'll be more than happy to claim the glory as the dragon who ended the human scourge." Neal chuckled.

"So, _now_ I am subject to your laws? How convenient." Arctis readied to pounce on Neal, frost starting to create a fog around his maw as he readied his elemental ability.

"What in the Ancestor's names is going on here?!"

Arctis suddenly froze in place, glancing cautiously up to the sky where he saw a dragon hovering over the street. He immediately backed down and coughed to clear the frost from his jaws and smiled.

"Lord Ibikiir! Sir Kaviri! What a pleasure to see the two of you today! I was just about to arrest this human for attempting to disturb the peace. He wants to fly off the handle just because a Slum Guard was caught wearing stolen armor." Neal glanced up at the two dragons who landed.

Both of them were fire dragons and both were roughly as big as Terra meaning they still towered over Neal but they also towered over Arctis. Kaviri bent his neck to glance at Terra's armor and then back to Neal and then returned his gaze to his brother.

"The two guards, they are wearing the same armor that that other dragon was wearing yesterday. I personally find it difficult to believe that three identical suits of dragon armor could be stolen, given their appearances, they must be worth a fortune." Ibikiir nodded.

"I second that thought brother. So then, Arctis, is it? From _which_ armory were these suits of armor reported missing?" Arctis coughed in surprise at the moment and glanced to his fellows. Neal then understood that likely in return for backing up Arctis' claims, they would recieve a share of the bounty. They most likely even already had an armorsmith ready to testify that _he_ had crafted the armor himself.

True to what Neal was thinking, Arctis recovered and smiled.

"The armor was stolen from Titan's Forge my Lord. The suits were commissioned by Captain Magma and his brother Lord Vesuvius. They were to be made special." Neal growled at Arctis' tactics, using another noble's name for the purpose of getting the others to back off. Ibikiir then glanced to the armored dragons and smiled politely.

"Then, may I ask, why are their names imprinted on the armor, as well as their ranks? I've been to Titan's Forge and he lacks the tools needed for engraving a dragon's name and rank into the metal. And certainly you don't expect anyone from the slums to have access to engraving tools?" Arctis coughed and shrugged.

"With all the crime down there, they probably got one of those counterfeiters to engrave the armor in return for a reduced sentence or immunity from the law." Terra growled angrily, her mana glowing around her scales as she built up power.

"You slimy, fork-tongued, double-dealing liar! You call _us_ corrupt when you are obviously planning to benefit from a Forger's charity!" Ibikiir gave a glance to Terra and then t Neal.

"A human, a _Forger_? Well, I certainly heard it from Lady Constance but I didn't really think too much of it. Is it true, human? Are you a Forger? If so, can you demonstrate it?" Neal sighed.

"I would like to my Lord but I was told the only way to prove Growler innocent of theft was to let General Infernon witness my ability himself. I only have enough mana built up for _one_ demonstration." Ibikiir gave a thoughtful nod and then glanced to Arctis.

"Guard, my brother and I wish to see this Forger in action. If the only way for him to use his ability is to stand before the General, then by my order, let him and his group pass. We shall also be going with him. Can't have a Forger getting into trouble before he even sees the General. It seems that, despite the horror stories our race has of them, humans appear to be quite fragile beings."

Arctis spluttered for a moment, hoping that Ibikiir and Kaviri were jesting but as the brothers landed, that hope faded and the Commons guards slunk out of the way. Ibikiir stood nearer to Neal than his brother and as they passed, Neal sighed and glanced to the large dragon.

"I owe you a favor Lord Ibikiir. What may I do to repay you and your brother?" Ibikiir chuckled.

"You misunderstand. I simply like watching the morally difficient squirm when confronted with the truth. I am rather close with Lady Constance and I'm sure she is not a liar by nature. She says you're a Forger, that's good enough for me. Though, once this is over, if you find yourself doing commissions for others, I would enjoy being among the first to recieve one of your pieces." Neal chuckled and gave Ibikiir a nod that he understood. At that moment, Kaviri came closer, a smug smile on his face.

"I wonder what Titan is going to say when he learns that their ruse was uncovered? So then, human... your name was Neal, correct?" Neal nodded, giving Kaviri permission to continue.

"As a Forger, you can create almost anything, right?" Neal nodded.

"As long as I have an idea of what it's made of, how it's put together, and the scale of it, yes." Kaviri nodded.

"I see. Well then, it's no doubt apparent to you that the slums need some serious work. I see that you've started off right, giving the Guards new equipment but where will you go from there?" Neal thought for a moment and shrugged.

"To be honest I haven't really crossed that bridge yet but I would guess once the Guards are outfitted, I would devote my attention to maybe repairing some of the buildings in the area. The moles have asked me before if I would be willing to lend them a hand. Plus, if the slums are to grow, they will need more chances for growth. New buisnesses, new jobs, things of that nature." Ibikiir nodded.

"Quite right. I _knew_ Constance was right about you. It just so happens that I have a few merchant connections who are looking for new buildings to expand their interests. The slums would make for a good location if the buildings were in better shape and the crime lower. Speaking of which, word has it that the infamous Lockjaw is no more. Did you have something to do with that Sergeant?" Terra shook her head and smiled.

"Honestly my Lord, no. I was just present at the event in question. It was a young dragoness, Erz, who ended him. Neal though was responsible for aiding in the arrest of his entire group of thugs." Ibikiir nodded.

"Interesting. I guess there is more to you humans than meets the eye. Just so you know, I _do_ have some contacts with the mining moles and the manweersmalls at Boyzitbig. If you do start making commissions for dragons in the Common and Noble districts, insist that you be paid in gems that way you and I could help each other." Neal nodded and saw Terra's face light up.

"We're here. The Guard's Commons Headquarters." Ibikiir smiled and then glanced up at the building.

"Likely, we'll find Infernon on the top floor. Well, to be honest, I'm quite eager to you in action for myself Neal, so let us do hurry." Neal nodded and followed Terra and the other dragons into the building.

True to nature, the dragons in the building immediately became curious of Neal and watched as he passed with his escort. Several of them growled angrily and some actually glanced interestedly at him. One dragon saw Terra and Toxis and nodded to another as he went down to the bottom level of the building where, Neal assumed, was where they were keeping Growler.

It wasn't a long time before they reached the third floor of the building which, by the size of it, was used exclusively for the Commander. At the far end of the room was a desk with a wolf writing something down and beyond him was a large fire dragon who glanced at them before nodding for them to approach.

General Infernon was as large as Ibikiir and his scales were a bright, almost ruby-like, shade of red. Most distinguishable though, was the scar that ran down his face over his left eye which was still able to see. He saw Ibikiir and Kaviri and gave a nod and then glanced to Terra, Neal, Toxis and 'hmm'ed to himself.

"Either that wretched Arctis was lying about something or there is more than one suit of stolen armor in the slums. Tell me Sergeant, which do _you_ think it is?" Terra squared her shoulders in a snap to attention and spoke.

"Sir, Arctis is lying. The armor that Growler was wearing was armor created and gifted to him by Neal, who is a Forger." Infernon's eyes went wide with interest as he gazed at the human before him.

"Is that so? Well now, that is rather interesting. What say you Lord Ibikiir? Can you confirm this?" Ibikiir chuckled.

"From what Ive heard from Lady Constance, yes. However, I have yet to personally bear witness to his abilities. He i nformed me that he has only enough mana for _one_ demonstration and that he would much prefer to be before you when he used his powers. I tagged along for pure curiousity's sake." Infernon nodded to him and then turned his gaze to Neal.

"So then, Neal, are you prepared to show that you are indeed a Forger?" Neal nodded.

"If it means all charges against Growler will be dropped then yes. Though as I told Arctis, I don't much like the idea of being put on display like a jester with a fabulous trick." Infernon surpised him by bursting out laughing at that remark and then smiling to him.

"Of course. Of course. Nor would I expect it to sit well with you. I know the stories of Forgers and know how great a gift it is. I also know that it is not a gift to be taken lightly. To be quite honest I was considering dropping the charges anyway. Upon further inspection, and upon my own knowledge of the situation, I have to say that I know without a shadow of a doubt there is no way that Titan could have crafted that armor on commission from Lord Vesuvious or his brother." Neal gave Infernon a puzzled glance to which he explained.

"Titan is a dragon merchant who cares more for his bottom line than anything else. He is a great armorsmith, don't get me wrong, but his designs are... basic. Bland. Engraving, enchanting, these are things that require other artisans and that costs quite a bit. The level of detail to the armor, plus the way it seems natural with the metal, are traits that Titan would _never_ consider putting into his armor. It's just too expensive for his liking."

At that moment, Growler came in along with a dragon who had the armor arranged on a cart before him. Infernon dismissed the other guard and looked back to Neal.

"Now that Growler is here, please, Forge something." Neal nodded and channeled his mana before him, focusing on the armor. There was an orb of light that formed and expanded and when it was complete, it disipated, revealing a brand new suit of armor. Ibikiir and Kaviri were thunderstruck and Infernon examined the armor thoroughly before nodding and returning his gaze to Neal.

"Now then, do you have an inking as to what this armor would be worth if it were forged by another?" Neal nodded.

"My best guess is what Lyca, the tavernkeeper where I stay told me yesterday. The armor would be worth roughly eight-thousand gems or ten-thousand gold." Infernon gave an appreciative nod while Ibikiir and his brother stared at the armo in a new light. Then, upon remembering something, Infernon chuckled.

"Apparently, Arctis _undervalued_ the armor! He said the armor looked to be worth, perhaps, half that. Hah! That'll be one he won't live down." As he settled down, Infernon became serious.

"So then, may I ask, what was the reason to create this armor?" Neal nodded.

"Sir, the armor and equipment the Guard in the slums get now isn't up to the task at hand. Their armor is second-hand, ill-fitting cast-offs from other groups and can't even turn a butterknife. If the slums are to become a safer place, the Guard must have the proper equipment with which they can do their jobs. I saw that they needed the armor and I simply _gave_ it to them because that was the right thing to do." Neal thought back to something and then rallied.

"My grandfather was a rancher, but he was also a weaponsmith. He made weapons for local law enforcement and even took commissions from elite groups such as the Texas Rangers. Despite not being a Forger, he made weapons for the police because he felt it was the right thing to do. He never charged the local police anything for his weapons because he knew them and for the commissions he charged only for parts and labor. Heh, my grandpa always said be never made a dollar with commissions but he always broke even." Neal glanced to the Guards near him and smiled.

"Working to help the law enforcement protect the people, that was his reward. If I charged anything to help the guards keep the peace, I'm fairly certain my grandad would rise from the grave, seek me out, and tear me a new one." Infernon smiled at that and nodded.

"Would that others thought as you did. Then again, with your skills, if you made armor for every guard, you'd put our armorsmiths out of buisness. So long as the armor stay in the slums, I don't mind. Now then, I suppose you also have plans of what to do after the Guard no longer needs new armor?" Neal nodded.

"As I told Lord Ibikiir, I plan to devote my free time, when I'm not making commissions, to helping the moles improve the buildings in the slums." Infernon nodded and turned to Growler.

"Growler, I must ask your forgiveness for this. I had an inkling of what those wyrms were up to and I didn't openly object. You may take a few days paid leave to enjoy yourself and then you may redon your armor and return to your post. All charges brought against you by Arctis are dismissed."

Growler came forward and thanked Infernon and then nodded to Neal and the others as they filed out. As Neal turned though, Infernon cleared his throat.

"Neal, a moment please." Neal nodded and approached Infernon who gazed upon him with a burdened look.

"Neal... I have a favor to ask of you... Flame... please take care of him." Neal nodded but was curious.

"If you'll pardom me General, he seemed to give me the impression that you didn't care for him. Yet, you obviously do." Infernon nodded.

"Indeed. I care for him deeply. I... May I confide in you? I know I don't have a right to do so but... Flame was assigned to you as a guard. Flame... he... he doesn't know..." Neal suddenly realized what Infernon was trying to say.

"Flame's not your nephew, is he?" Infernon shook his head.

"No. He's my son. My brother... I never got the chance to tell him... His mate... and I... I've wanted to be there for him, truly I did. But you must understand, if I start showing favoritism to a recruit that would draw questions. Among us dragons, it is a grave offense to mate with another when we are already spoken for." Neal nodded understandingly.

"You want me to update you on his progress, that way you _can_ look out for him without directly looking out for him. If you recieve word of his actions and deeds from reliable sources, it'll be easier to promote him and get him out from under the other dragons who seek to keep him down." Infernon nodded, relieved that Neal understood.

"Nothing to formal or too often. Just... something every week would be enough, unless he proves himself truly notable. Truth be told, Their Majesties have been informed of your presense and they are returning but they are also taking their time, waiting." Neal nodded.

"Waiting to see how big a help or a hazzard I'll be." Infernon nodded.

"To be honest, the city is divided about your presense. Most consider you a threat that must be eliminated but others are curious about you. Their Majesties, against the advice of the majority of the nobles and their advisers, are among the curious ones. Show them that your abilities can be used for good. Show them that you can be trusted. Do that, and you will soon find as many paths forward open to you as there are closed now." Neal gave Infernon a glance and then gazed to where Terra and the others had gone.

"So then, I should consider this the ultimate test of whether or not I am to be protected." Infernon sighed.

"Yes. You have few allies among the nobles, but, once word gets out about what you've already started doing, expect to have some support from the commoners." Neal gave Infernon a small smile and nodded.

"Very well then. General, I thank you for hearing me out and for taking the time to get to the bottom of these charges." Infernon nodded and dismissed Neal who left the room and returned to the first floor to where the others were waiting for him. Immediately, Flame approached Neal and gave him a curious glance.

"What did the General want to speak to you about?" Neal glanced to the others and nodded.

"He wants me to send him periodic updates on the status of everything I do in the slums. Essentially, I report to the General on what things I'm working on currently." Terra and the guards nodded understandingly and Flame gave a sigh and nodded as well. However, at that moment, a dragon came in with a dented chestplate and a _very_ angry look on his face. One of the other dragons saw him and sighed.

"Not those two again?" The irate dragon growled and jerked his head in a short nod.

"That's the sixth time this month! The next time I see those two, I'm throwing them in the jail, I don't care if they're kids!" Terra glanced to the dragon curiously.

"What kids are you talking about?" The dragon caught sight of her armor and then sighed.

"Two orphan dragons who keep running around the commons. We think they live in the slums but they love causing trouble in the commons." Neal immediately glanced to him.

"Kids? How could two kids do _that_ to a steel plate?" The dragon saw Neal but apparently was indifferent and sighed.

"The kids are small but one of them, the male, has a rather interesting ability. He can use a small amount of mana and manipulate metal. He literally channeled his mana and when he headbutted me, caved in the chestplate." Terra gasped at the damage to the armor and glanced back to him.

"What are their names?" The guard shrugged.

"The female is Domino and the male is Rivet. Why? Do you know them?" Terra sighed.

"We know _of_ them. Their parents were killed in the war and they've been living in the slums. We had no idea though that they were cauing trouble in the commons." The dragon nodded.

"Well, if you can catch them, keep them out of trouble. Personally, I'd recommend tossing them in the orphanage." Suddenly, there was a commotion outside and three dragons, led by Arctis, came in towing two dragons who were hissing and growling angrily.

"Toma! Finally found those two scamps! You want me to go ahead and send them to the orphanage?" Terra immediately saw the two and scowled.

"Arctis! What in the Ancestor's are you doing?! Those restraints are hurting them!" Arctis saw Terra and growled.

"Leave off, this is the _Commons_ , not the slums. These two may be kids but they've been causing no end of trouble here. We are going to make sure they are sent to the orphanage this time." Neal took a moment to glance at the two dragons.

For the first time since arriving, Neal actually could see two dragons who didn't either tower over him or rival his height. The two dragons were barely able to come up to his waist. They were also painfully thin, their scales dirty and dull when compared to the polished scales of the other dragons in the building. Curious, he leaned over to Growler.

"God Almighty, look at how thin they are. A stiff wind would bowl them over in a heartbeat. How old are they, do you think?" Growler kept his eyes on Arctis and frowned.

"Neither of them are ten if that's what you mean. They look to be eight, maybe nine, but not yet ten. Those two... the orphanage is no place for them. I've seen what they can do, they deserve to be taught at the Academy." Neal glanced to them.

"What are their abilities?" Growler chuckled.

"Where to start? I suppose you can guess what the boy is capable of. He's not a Forger like you are but he can bend and mold metal better than any blacksmith. His sister, though, she lacks any special sort of abilities but despite her age her mind is as sharp as a razor." Neal heard a pained groan and saw one of the dragons collapse, wheezing. Neal realized the others were oblivious to the dragon's discomfort and his medical training suddenly kicked in.

"Cut him loose! _Now_! He can't breathe!"

Without waiting to see Arctis' expression, Neal took three long steps to where the dragon held Rivet's restraints and tried to release them but suddenly felt a tail strike him from the side. He heard Terra shout and glanced to see a furious Arctis ready to bite his head off. His mind immediately thought of his sidearm but was surprised when Flame tackled Arctis from the side, knocking him over. This gave Neal the chance to rise to his feet and move to Rivet's side and start unfastening the restraints and check his breathing.

Neal was vaguely aware of the other dragon, Domino, coming alongside him, eyes wide with worry as he examined her brother.

"Is he alright?" Neal checked Rivet over and nodded with relief.

"Momentary loss of consiousness due to restricted airflow. Give him a moment, he'll recover. What was the big idea trussing this child up like a chicken?" The dragon coughed nervously and glanced to Arctis.

"Arctis has been trying to catch these two for some time. Something about them causing trouble for a merchant in the Commons. They always escaped though so this time he insisted the restraints being tightened well below the safe notch." At that moment, Arctis rose, shoving Flame aside and glaring daggers at Neal.

"Those children are just as big a pain in my tail as _you_ are human! If you think for one moment that I'll allow you to interfere again you are sorely mistaken!" Neal glanced to the two dragons behind him and saw genuine fear in Domino's eyes. Neal steeled his resolve, rose and returned the glare to Arctis.

"I'll do it." Arctis looked to him curiously.

"Do what?" Neal glanced to Terra and the others and saw their confusion as well and took a firmer tone of voice.

"I'll take responsibility of them." Arctis' jaw dropped.

"A... A _human_ taking care of two _dragons_?! Are you out of your mind?" Neal gave a sharp nod.

"Look at these kids, you think for a moment that if you just dump them at an orphanage they'll get the care they need? They obviously need a medical evaluation among several other things." Arctis snarled.

"They'll get one when they are sent to an orphanage. Now if you don't mind, sod off. Besides, I highly doubt you would be able to take care of these two. They'd bolt the second you turned your back." Domino glanced at Neal and then to her brother before looking back to Neal.

"Are... Are you serious?" Neal nodded. Arctis growled.

"Regardless, he has nothing to his name. No gems, no gold, nothing. He wouldn't be able to do anything." At that moment, Ibikiir cleared his throat. Arctis immediately looked nervous but the noble was calm as he glanced to Neal and then to Arctis.

"In your opinion, what would be a suitable start? Neal, I would like to go ahead and commission something from you as a Forger." Neal was caught off guard but recovered quickly.

"Of course. What would you like?"

"A novelty of sorts. Would you humor me and Forge a suit of armor you humans wore?" Neal nodded. Immediately, the Book appeared and the quill started writing. Neal gave a smile at several dragon's startled expressions but then gazed back to Ibikiir.

"First off, what sort of metals would you like it made of?" Ibikiir nodded and placed a foreclaw to his chin.

"Something ceremonial... I suppose steel and silver would be a fair start." The quill wrote it down and Neal nodded.

"Very well. Now then, the difficult question, what style of armor would you like?" Kaviri glanced to Neal curiously.

"There is more than one style? How many are there?" Neal nodded and pointed to the Book.

"There is of course the Roman-style segmentata. There is also the Crusade-era chainmail. There is European-style plate armor, medieval knight's armor, French chevalier armor, Prussian cavalry armor, Russian cossack armor, English colonial armor and Spanish conquistador armor. There is also World War One German armor, Italian Arditi armor. Another style is Chinese scale armor, banded armor, and lastly Japanese samurai armor. If you'd like, I can also create a suit of armor that was worn by men who protected the Pope in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Or perhaps the armor of a Templar of the Holy Roman Empire."

Ibikiir curiously examined each and every suit of armor in the Book as Neal listed it and then gave a smile.

"I always enjoy giving potential artisans their start. If we close our minds to new ideas, our culture becomes stagnant. I will commission two suits of each type of armor, made of the same materials, and I will pay you... hmm... Brother, what do _you_ think would be an appropriate price for human ceremonial armor?" Kaviri glanced at the armors and then to his brother.

"I'd would price them perhaps at three-hundred a piece." Arctis smiled.

"Three-hundred gold? Hah! That's clever!" Kaviri growled at him.

"Not three-hundred gold. Three-hundred _gems_. _**Each**_."

Needless to say, _that_ had the effect of silencing everyone in the room. Nearly ever dragon with the exception Ibikiir and his brother were slack-jawed with amazement. Kaviri glanced to his brother curiously and then around the room and gave a smile.

"Was it something I said?"


	13. The Ripper Awakens

Hi everyone, I'm back once again. To be honest, after getting home from visiting my cousin, I went right back to work on the next chapter ideas. Well, okay, _after_ eating my lunch and reorganizing my music and video library. Plus, by the time I post this, I may be the proud owner of a copy of Mass Effect: Andromeda. Yay! XD

Ahem, well anyone, on with the story.

Fair warning though, I did get a little... explicit in the later parts of the chapter. I would guess that would be considered a 'sorta lemon' so for safety's sake I will, if I haven't already, change the rating from T to M.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 12: The Ripper Awakens

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Lord Ibikiir and his brother stood before Queen Tianis and her mate, King Altonis. Both regarded the brothers with grave expressions as Lord Vesuvius and his brother Captain Magma railed against them for interfering in the matter reserved for the royals. Nearby also were the Guardians and next to them were Spyro and Cynder and also Skylar who had taken a moment's leave to be present at this meeting. Vesuvius was irate at Ibikiir but it was Magma who was the most vocal.

"They have acted _against_ the Council's decision Your Majesties! It was by the Council's order that the human be secluded until Your Majesties were ready to have him brought before you for judgement-" At that phrase, Terrador cleared his throat.

"Captain, you misspeak. The human was not on _trial_ , the question was whether or not he deserved protection." Magma wanted to say something but Vesuvius' tail jabbed him harshly.

"True, Master Terrador, my brother misspoke, however, it is now common knowledge that there is a _human_ in the city. The populace is already muttering about seeing him running across rooftops and sharpening blades to slash their hatchling's and their mate's throats in the night. If anything, Ibikiir's involvement has only drug the matter into the common light. The question is now what should we do to prevent panic or rioting?" Ibikiir snorted.

"If you'll forgive me, Lord Vesuvius, but I believe you must be hearing echoes of your brother's complaints. All I've heard from the people is how polite and how fascinating the human, whose name is Neal by the way, is. He has yet to make an advance in hostility toward any _law-abiding_ dragon or citizen for that matter. In fact, Captain, I thought you would be happy? It was thanks to Neal's involvement that Lockjaw, the infamous rogue, is now no more and his gang has collapsed." Ibikiir turned to the Royals.

"Already, his deeds have had positive outcomes. His new armor has reduced the number of Guards reporting to the infirmary due to injury on their watch. His dealing with Lockjaw has removed the biggest of the thorns from the side of the moles who have already begun shoring up and rebuilding several buildings that have been neglected for far too long. In fact, he's also using the majority of his commissions from me as donations to local buisnesses to begin purchasing more goods." At that moment, Kaviri glanced to the Guardians and spoke.

"What remains of what my brother has paid him is being used to get Domino and her brother Rivet enrolled in the Academy. Master Volteer, how long has it been since we've had a metal dragon live Rivet and an intellectually gifted dragon like Domino in the Academy?" Volteer chuckled.

"Far too long. In fact, the two have their applications being ready for final approval. It would be an absolute pleasure to start teaching these young ones." At the moment, Queen Tianis glanced at the covered object with Ibikiir with unmasked curiousity.

"Lord Ibikiir, may I ask what that is you have brought?" Ibikiir nodded.

"You may and I would be pleased to show you Your Majesty. This is one of the several suits of human armor I had commissioned from Neal. He assured me it is a rather unique piece and the design has an incredible history." Kaviri moved the armor forward at a glance from his brother and removed the cover from it. It was a cuirass, lined with chainmail, with a helm, greaves, and gauntlets with special fabric. At a glance, even the King was interested in it.

"What is this armor? And what is the history behind it?" Ibikiir smiled.

"This, Your Majesties, is the armor of the Swiss Guards. They were knights who protected a man known as 'the Pope' in the... what did he say? The Sixteenth Century?" Kaviri nodded, Ibikiir continued.

"According to what he said, in his world, the Pope is the center of a human religion, and during the Sixteenth Century, mercenaries tried to assassinate him. It would be the equivalent of someone trying to assassinate one of the Guardians." This elected a gasp from the Royals and the Guardians and Ibikiir nodded.

"Anyway, the tale goes that just over one-hundred and fifty humans in this armor stood against one-thousand of the mercenaries, holding the line long enough for the Pope to be spirited away to safety. The tale goes that the entire garrison was wiped out except for those few who went with the Pope and that the Guards made the mercenaries pay so dearly for their attack they fled in disgrace and were hunted down by the common people and made to answer for their crimes."

This story had Terrador wide-eyed in amazement.

"Are there more such instances of human bravery?" Kaviri nodded.

"Yes Master. Neal told me of a battle at a place the humans called Thermopolae or something like that. Three-hundred elite soldiers called 'Spartans' held a pass against one-million men of the Persian army. The Spartans were killed to the last man but they inflicted such horrific losses upon the Persians that they completely lost their taste for war and retreated to their own borders." Vesuvius scoffed.

"Some victory, an entire force of soldiers lost. A victory is only a victory if there is someone left alive to tell the tale. Otherwise it is a defeat." Ibikiir snorted.

"Alright then, you want a story he told me while we watched him work? It was during an event known as the Second Great War, barely three-hundred men of a group called the 101st Airborne, held a town called Bastogne against over three-hundred _thousand_ German soldiers. Repeatedly asked to surrender, the commander of the 101st just gave the reply 'Nuts!' and held his ground until an allied army broke the siege and reinforced them, nearly a month after they had been surrounded." Kaviri chuckled.

"I've got a better one. He said it was during the Great War. He couldn't remember whether it was French or British soldiers who were pulling back against a German attack, but several companies of soldiers called Marines, arrived on the line. When told that they were to retreat, the Marine commander said 'Retreat hell, we just _got_ here!' They went on to hold the line and stabilize the front." Leviathan then glanced at the brothers.

"I remember the human being a medic? While these stories of heroism in war are fascinating, did he relate a story of heroism in peace?" Kaviri glanced to his brother who nodded and faced the Water dragon Guardian.

"Indeed. He said this story was one that was drilled into the minds of every recruit of the USCG. It occured... I believe... sixty or seventy years ago... a ship broke apart in a storm while at sea. The survivors huddled on the stern tried to get word out by blowing the ship's horn but no one responded. Turns out on that exact same night _another_ ship, same size and class, also broke in half and was foundering in the ocean." Leviathan was interested, nor was he the only one.

"After a lighthouse keeper heard the horn, he reported it in but the only vessel the USCG had left was a small forty foot boat that could barely hold twelve people yet they had to rescue almost thirty. The crew of the boat went out into the storm, despite the conditions. They kept going even though it would have been easier to turn back and abandon the crew to their fates." Vesuvius huffed but Ibikiir continued.

"The small boat crew managed to rescue all but one of the survivors who was killed when the ship lurched. Overloaded and now facing a blizzard at sea, without a compass, and now no lighthouse to guide them as it was damaged in the storm, the boat crew managed to get all the survivors safely back to shore. It is known as, and remains, one of the greatest rescues in the USCG's history."

"There is another about a medic during the Second World War who single-handedly saved almost eighty wounded soldiers by pulling them out of battle one at a time." Then Altonis spoke.

"Speaking of the human, where is he?" Ibikiir lowered his head and gave the King and Queen a guilty glance.

"I'm afraid that, in my overeagerness, I may have... overexerted his ability as a Forger. After the commissions I had ordered from him were done, I spread the word of how the armor he made, even though ceremonial, was far superior to anything the cheetahs or wolves currently had and they, in turn, commissioned works from him to serve as examples or 'blanks'. He is currently at his home, resting to recover his mana." Vesuvius then glanced to him.

"His _home_?! You mean that rat's nest of a tavern that the slum guards frequent?" Ibikiir nodded.

"Yes, and contrary to what you think, Lord Vesuvius, the Full Moon Tavern is a clean, friendly, and safe environment. The owner, Lyca, is very strict in client behavior in her establishment." Magma glanced to his brother who gave him the barest nod and Magma glanced to the King and Queen.

"Your Majesties, if you may excuse me, I have rounds that I must return to. I shall let my elder brother continue to speak on my behalf." King Altonis looked peeved, but then relented.

"Very well, you are dismissed. Although, next time there is a _Royal_ summons, you would do well to find someone of equal or superior rank to take your place." Magma gave a small smile.

"I would if I could Your Majesty but, alas, I am the only officer of Captain rank that takes patrols, the rest just sit in their offices getting fat." Vesuvius cleared his throat sharply, getting his brother's attention and Magma then bowed his head and departed the room.

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Outside the Royal Chambers, Magma produced a small crystal from his armor and channeled a small amount of mana into it. Almost immediately, an image of another, though dirtier, dragon appeared, cloaked in shadow to obscure his face.

" _Lord_ Magma, to what do I owe this... _pleasure_." Magma, ignoring the jab at him, glanced to the dragon.

"The sands of time are running short. My brother is _eager_ to get the project back underway. Lockjaw's loss though, has _complicated_ matters somewhat..." The dragon growled.

"Aye. It's more than _doubled_ my workload. Lockjaw was crude and arrogant but he was one of my best. If I ever catch who did him in..." Magma smiled.

"You may have your chance. The one you seek is the human, Neal, who is holed up in the Full Moon Tavern. Thanks in part to _Lord_ Ibikiir's love of shiny things and stories of false human bravery, the human has exhausted _all_ of his mana and must now recover. At this moment, there are no guards in the tavern, only civilians and the owner, Lyca. He is guarded only by General Infernon's bastard, Flame, and will be easy to eliminate." The dragon's gaze darkened at Flame's name but then looked thoughtful.

"Interesting. So, how does his Lordship want it done?" Magma growled.

"He doesn't care. Bring the tavern down on the human's head, send in your cutthroats and carve him up into so many pieces they'll never find all of him, rip the roof off, grab him, fly him up into the clouds and cast him down to the earth, use your size as an advantage and devour him as you so _love_ to do to your foes, burn him, freeze him, crush him, electrocute him, drown him, set fire to the _entire_ Ancestors-damned slums if you feel the need to do so, just _get it done_." Magma stopped his rant when he realized he was getting louder and growled.

"He has set back _his_ plans for longer than he would deem appropriate. End him, and his thrice-damned 'white-knight' attitude otherwise I may decide that it would be less trouble to take care of the human myself and refocus the _entire_ Guard's attention onto _you_." The dragon nodded slowly, understanding.

"One more thing. Is it true? The Forger may possess a way to free Malefor?" Magma gave a pained snarl and nodded.

"Yes. It is true. He doesn't know of one _yet_ but all our records seem to indicate that only a Forger would be able to free Malefor from his current prison. A fact that we were at ease with until the Chronicler dropped this human into our midst. _That_ is the only reason I am pursuing this human with every ounce of my strength and will. I... I will _not_ be responsible if that human decided to free that dragon, accidentally or not. I lost my mate _and_ my young ones to that monster and his damned _General_. I will _not_ see him rise from the ashes. I couldn't, _wouldn't_ , give a damn about my brother's plans otherwise." The dragon nodded respectfully and understandingly.

"It will be done. For all of those who have suffered as _we_ have, and to prevent those of the next generation from suffering the same fear, the same ache. I will have a care though, the human has not yet done anything to earn my ire. I knew that eventually his arrogance would catch up to Lockjaw. For mercy's sake if naught else, I will make the human's death as quick and painless as possible." Magma nodded.

"I suppose he deserves _that_ at least. Very well. Make it quick for him." Magma cut the flow of mana to the crystal and then sighed.

 _(Ancestors... please tell me that this is the right thing. Please give me a sign that I haven't forsaken my oaths and my position for nothing...)_

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They called him Ripper, thought that wasn't his given name. His true name had been abandoned long ago, after he had used his claws to slice apart the murderer who had killed his mate and for the fact that every servant of Malefor he fought in the war had been found slashed to ribbons. Ripper had an element, his control over fire was fearsome, yet compared to his skill with his claws and tail blade in close quarters combat they were less than average. Ripper had also earned the nickname 'Vampire' because of his love of drinking the blood of his victims and devouring their bodies if they had at least entertained him as they died.

It was his adopted belief that by taking their blood and flesh into his body that he would become stronger, something he had learned from the venom dragons while he had been recovering from wounds sustained in that area while fighting Malefor's forces in their territory. He knew the ritual that used ancient dragon magic to assimilate his fallen opponents knowledge, strength, and skills into his own being. All that the spell required was a few drops of blood. The more blood you got, the stronger the magic.

A favorite taunting ability of his was score a small hit, take a few drops of his opponent's blood, place it on his tongue, and then assimilate a few of his opponent's memories. This would allow him to anticipate what his opponent would do next, avoid the attacks, make his opponent begin to anger, or act rashly, or even out of fear.

Fear... it added a certain... 'flavor' to his prey as they fought, and made their flesh even more succulent to him as they died. One time he had actually made an opponent so afraid they had keeled over, dead, from fear. Ripper had gorged himself for nearly three days on _that_ particular foe.

His underlings knew of his reputation, they feared him, even the Guards feared him. Only Captain Magma had ever matched him in combat. That alone was the only reason that Ripper followed his orders and respected Vesuvius' wishes. If not, then Ripper would have considered it no small pain to go after Vesuvius, make him learn what fear truly was. In the venom dragon territory, a large dragon was seen as a successful hunter, which led to being a desirable mate. Ripper's size alone proved to them that he was a skilled hunter. During the war he had been propositioned by _several_ females of the venom dragon clans, even a few of their Matriarchs. At first memories of his deceased mate kept him standoff-ish, but as the months went by...

His mind idly wandered, remembering one of several nights he had spent with Matriarch Venomia, the largest of the village females. It had been a welcome respite from the war and the daily repetition of fight, kill, patrol, fight, kill, patrol. He had entered her village just as the sun was starting to sink beneath the horizon, she had propositioned him, his senses detected that she was in heat, as were most of the females of the village, yet she was the only one who caught his longing eyes.

Her glances, the way she swayed her tail back and forth, the way the fading sun danced upon the greens and greys of her body, accenting every curve of her frame, the elegant snout to long neck, shoulders, torso, her hips, and a _very_ long whip-like tail. After a few moments, she had finally gotten enough of her scent around him that he gave into his base instincts and willingly followed her to her den; and straight to her chambers.

He smiled slightly at the memory, then winced as he remembered the discomfort afterwards.

Venomia had exhausted his stamina almost to the breaking point several times during that night, only stopping once the sun was starting to rise. She had kept at him until she was, as she had mentioned in one of the rare breathless pauses, absolutely _certain_ that she would bear children, and had given him leave to remain in the village as long as he deemed neccessary in order to stem Malefor's forces.

The last time he had seen her, a few days after word of Malefor's defeat reached them, she, and several of the other females in the village, were gravid; Venomia more so than the others, her swollen belly practically scraping the ground with the number of eggs within her. The third time she had been gravid with _his_ offspring. He wondered, just how many children had he sired.

Unlike some dragon species who focused on laying only one egg, venom dragons preferred laying clutches of several eggs, and given the number or dangers in their territory, it made sense. Even the smallest of the mature venom dragonesses could lay at least five eggs. Venomia though, as a Matriarch, was capable of much, _much_ more.

Especially with the right male.

In fact, he recalled he had a standing offer from Venomia to return whenever he wished and she would grant him a permenant position by her side. It was an offer he had seriously considered more than once in the past few years. The thought of seeing _his_ progeny, his _hatchlings_ playing, running about, growing up...

He shook his head to clear those thoughts. He was not a father, he was simply the sire. A source of genetic material that would have been of great benefit to their species, their villages. The females of the venom dragon race kept males around only when they were in heat, the rest of the time they kept to their own village.

Any daughters he had sired would have become great hunters themselves, hunting down prey to keep the villages fed. Roaming from village to village until either a Matriarch called a Great Hunt or she came into heat and settled down with a male, or in some villages _several_ males, becoming a Matriarch. Any sons would have been sent to the male villages and trained to distinguish themselves as soldiers.

In the venom dragon society, only heroes got to mate with the females, and only the _greatest_ of heroes got to mate with a Matriarch. Either way, his bloodline would live or die depending on how many great heroes or great huntresses he sired.

He rose from his bed, sealing away his soft thoughts, fixed his armor to his body, covering the scars that criss-crossed his body, hiding his physical traits from any who may recognize him, and proceeded to where his gang was assembled. Wolves, dragons, atlawa, cheetahs, moles, all were assembled here. What had started as a way to get the homeless off the streets, to give them a place to belong, it had devolved quickly into a gang that took what they needed to survive and what they wanted. Males and females got together to raise children who were brought into the life. He was the overlord of it all.

He thought about the human, wondered what his fear would be like. How much fight could a mana-exhausted human put up? He chuckled to himself; under normal circumstances, if he was the dragon he once was, he would have willingly thrown himself to this human's defence without reason or cause.

"But those days are long gone..." Ripper sighed, his eyes lowered to examine the claws on his left forefoot.

"Captain Ash, Hero of Warfang, is gone. Ripper, the Champion of Venomia, Stalker of Shadows, Bane of Darkness, the Iron Demon is all that remains..." He gave another sigh at ironic titles that meant nearly nothing to him and moved to address his 'family'. Still, he did think that once this bit of buisiness was done, he'd seek out Venomia. She was, after all, the closest thing he had to a mate.

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Okay, I'll admit it, kinda went a little into the details there but hey, that's okay. Anyway, in case I haven't explained it before, venom (poison) dragons are primarily black with green, grey, and other dark colors across their bodies. This disguises them from their prey and also from anything that is hunting _them_. I got the idea of their culture from reading a book about the Amazons of ancient Greece, although I did take a few liberties with the male roles.

Anyway, so, what's gonna happen next? Just wait and find out soon!"


	14. The Iron Demon, Part I

Okay everyone, down here it's another election. Just a minor one but that still means I've gotta sit for 14 hours and help other people cast their vote. Not that I dislike it, no, far from it. Participating in an election is the closest a lot of people where I live get to visiting other neighbors.

Well anyway, I'm going to be making this up while we're in lulls so, without further delay, here we go.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 13: The Iron Demon, Part I

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She frantically ran through the streets of the slums. Fire blazed behind her and she turned to see if he was still following her. In the distance, gunfire erupted in blistering fashion, punctuated by occasional explosions. She knew what she had to do. Frantically, she glanced around for the ones she knew who would be able to help.

Domino stopped a few yards from the Slum gates to the Common District where Terra and her squad were assigned. As she slowed, Rivet skidded to a stop beside her and glanced to her.

"Sis, what are we going to do? He... he's still back there!" Domino glanced to the gate and steeled her resolve and ran for the gate, shouting at the top of her lungs for help.

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 _(Several hours earlier...)_

Neal had awoken later in the day than he did normally. Then again, after finishing all those commissions for Ibikiir and others, it was no surprise that he was exhausted. However, the large safe that was now in his room filled with gems or various colors and sizes was a reward unto itself. According to Flame, Neal now had enough gems be considered a person 'of good standing' with most buisnesses in the city. A contended sigh came from the opposite side of the room and Neal turned to smile at the two dragonets he'd taken under his charge.

True to her fashion and what was becoming routine, Lyca had already made breakfast for the Guard and both Domino and Rivet had helped themselves and were now sleeping soundly. It had only been three days since first taking responsibility of them and already they were much improved. The first thing Neal had done when coming back was drawing a hot bath for the two young ones so that they could get themselves cleaned up.

Indeed, once they had done so, they made quite an appearance.

Domino's scales were the color of polished ebony, her underbelly, horns, claws, and the spines along her back were an off-white. Her brother on the other hand, had scales of polished silver with blued-steel colored belly scales, horns, claws, and a tailblade. Upon seeing them the next day, Growler, Terra, and Toxis had actually done a double-take in unison. It had actually been rather amusing. Plus, Neal couldn't deny the glow that he felt when he saw the looks on the two young one's faces when they saw the trays of food set before them. He wondered how long it had been since they had had a decent meal.

The second day, Terra had surprised him by bringing him two scrolls. They were applications to enroll both Rivet and Domino into the Academy. After filling them out and finishing off the commissions from Ibikiir, Kaviri and a few of Ibikiir's servants came to collect them, Kaviri saw the applications and graciously offered to submit them to the Guardians. Around the same time that day, a water dragon who worked a clinic in the slums gave the two of them a physical, pronounced everything well, and wished Neal the best of luck in taking care of them.

With the two kids asleep with breakfast inside them, Neal quietly exited the room and walked downstairs to see what was left. The moment Lyca saw him, her eyes lit up and she produced a plate of hot food for Neal. He sat down, thanked her for the plate, and started eating. It wasn't long before the door opened and more people started coming in. One of them, Fenrir, the wolf Neal had met when he first came to the Tavern, sat down next to him as Lyca set a plate before him as well. No sooner had Fenrir started eating then Lyca turned to him.

"Fen, any word on those fruits I ordered from you?" Fenrir gave a glance to her and nodded.

"Aye Lyca, the wagon should likely be arriving today. With any luck, they'll be in your hands by this afternoon." Lyca nodded and turned away to see to another customer who had come in. Fenrir sighed.

"It was a damn close call. With Shadra's minions running the roads, the trade routes are becoming hazzardous. Hey Neal, what did you humans do when you had to move cargo from one point to another and possibly fend off attacks?" Neal thought for a moment and then smiled as he recalled something.

"Well, back in the Old West, wagon drivers carrying gold and other materials and cargo had a guard riding with them. In particular stagecoaches which carried people across to different towns. If the stagecoach was ever set upon by bandits or other outlaws, the guard was armed with a weapon called a Coach Gun to fend them off." Fenrir glanced to him.

"What, pray tell, was this Coach Gun?"

"It was a weapon we humans called a shotgun, only the barrels were cut down and the stock shortened to make it lighter and easier to bring up on target. The threat of a shotgun was enough to stop most criminals but for a few it often took the guard firing one or both barrels into the bandits to make them think twice. It was a terrifying weapon at a glance and a deadly weapon up close." Fenrir nodded.

"When the wagon arrives, I'd be greatly appreciative if you could give the fellow a quick instruction on how to use such a weapon. Fact remains, Shadra is escalating her efforts. I'd rather have my wagons and goods protected against any threat than have them sitting ducks." Neal gave a slight nod.

"Is the supply situation that bad in the city?" Fenrir scoffed.

"In the city? No. Here in the slums? Yes. I only have three wagons to my name and buisness. I lose those three, I'm bankrupt, and some of the other shops here will have to look elsewhere for a supplier and a general merchant. That's why I'm in here as often as I am. Most of my customers come in here around this time and I jot down anything they need."

"Once I have the wagons tasked to capacity, I send them on their way with barter goods and money to exchange for what I've been requested. Speaking of which, being a Forger, is there anything in particular that you need? Something you're in short supply of?" Neal thought for a moment but then shook his head.

"Nothing at the moment but if you know of anyone who has a surplus of metals I'd appreciate it." Fenrir nodded.

"I might know of a few people in the metal buisness. They buy ore and rock from miners and then smelt it down into ingots to sell in bulk. If you need anything, give me the word and I'll get you a transport order." Neal nodded his thanks just as Flame came in, looking excited.

"Neal! Where's Rivet and Domino?" Neal glanced to the stairs.

"Upstairs resting, why? Has something happened?" Flame nodded.

"The Guardians have accepted their applications! I've been instructed by Master Terrador to bring them at once!" Neal smiled and rose to his feet before running up the stairs and to his room. Once there, he saw the siblings still sleeping and gently shook Domino awake.

Domino cracked an eye open to see Neal with a smile on his face a rose with a yawn.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Neal shook his head.

"Not at all. Wake your brother, Flame is here to take you to the Guardians. They have accepted your applications. You're going to school!"

With a squeal that woke her brother, Domino leapt for Neal, knocking him over and nuzzling him as a dragonet would do a parent, eyes brimming with tears. Rivet saw his sister and groaned.

"What's the big idea Domi? Why'd you have to wake me up?" Domino turned to her brother.

"Drag your scaly butt out of bed! Flame's going to take us to the Guardians! We're going to school!" Rivet went wide-eyed at that and looked to Neal to see if she was joking. The expression on Neal's face told him that his sister wasn't joking and he too jumped at Neal as he rose and hos forelegs went onto his shoulders in a hug of sorts. Neal returned the gesture and then lowered Rivet back to all fours.

"Flame is downstairs waiting. Now then, remember to be on your best behavior. You'll be attending classes with dragons your same age but have been going to school for longer than you. If you have a question about something or one of the other students bothers you, tell one of the Guardians or an Instructor." Domino and Rivet nodded and Neal walked with them downstairs to Flame who gave a nod to Neal as if saying 'they'll be okay', and departed.

For the umpteenth time in three days, Neal felt a stir in his chest. He'd heard from buddies of his how hard it was to see their own kids growing up in front of them. Neal had honestly never known the feeling. Growing up, he's had horrible luck with women except for Monica, the female police officer he'd dated for several months. He sighed, remembering that night when he'd learned that, while responding to a domestic disturbance call, she'd been shot and killed by a suspect.

After that he had hung up any ideas about dating a woman, settling down, having children, starting a family. He's started to fear that he was cursed, that people who got close to him died. He mentally thanked Ignitus for pulling him into this world when he did. Though Domino and Rivet didn't call him Father or Dad or anything of that nature, he still felt that, because he accepted custody of them, they were his kids. He felt eyes upon him and glanced to see Lyca standing there with a smile on her face.

"You truly do care for them don't you? Even though they aren't your own species or offspring." Neal nodded.

"Back in my world, I had long abandoned any hope of starting a family, marriage, anything of that nature. I'd thought myself cursed after the accident at sea and after losing so many people I cared about." Lyca nodded to him.

"We all have times where we think everything we do we mess up. But, you've had the courage to pick yourself up time and again no matter how many times you fall. It's traits like those..."

She was interuppted however, when a bell started ringing throughout the slums. Several patrons rose from their seats and ran for the door. Neal glanced to them.

"What is that?" A cheetah turned to him.

"That's the fire bell! There's a fire in the slums! Anyone who can lend a hand, come on!" Neal glanced back to Lyca, gave her a nod, and then left the building with the others.

The fire was in a small abandoned building that, according to the sign, was once a distillery. The fire was on the second floor and spread the width of the building. The moles, wolves, and cheetahs were struggling with a bucket brigade to try and get water from a pump to the fire. Glancing around, Neal realized their hurry, the buildings on either side of were full of people.

 _(They'll never put it out before it spreads...)_ Neal realized. He immediately began thinking. Immediately, the Book appeared beside him, opened, and started drawing a diagram of what he was thinking of: an old, hand-cranked pump with several fabric, rubber-lined hoses attached. He glanced at the Book.

"Please tell me I have sufficient skill to create this..." The quill tapped.

 _'Indeed. You are now of sufficient skill that you can summon multiple large objects. This ability is called Multi-Forge.'_ Neal nodded and then readied his mana.

A cheetah stopped to see what Neal was doing and was amazed when several large red wagons appeared out of thin air. Neal immediately grabbed the cross bar where horses would have been tied and started pulling, getting the wagon into position. He heard a small gong and glanced to his watch and saw the mana hand drop from 12 to 6. He sighed.

 _(Note to self: Multi-Forging only use if neccessary.)_

As the first wagon was in position, Neal grabbed the back hose and ran for where the moles and others were getting water and dropped the end into the large fountain. The water smelled bad but he didn't let it bother him. With the hose in water, Neal ran back for the wagon, and noticed the cheetah who had stopped.

"What's your name?" The cheetah gazed to him.

"Name's Harpe. What is this thing? What does it do?" Neal didn't have time to explain but guided Harpe's hand to the crank.

"This is a water pump. What you do is simple, crank this wheel as fast as you can to push water through the hose. I'll grab the hose and start spraying water on the fire." The cheetah started turning the wheel clockwise. Gears started turning and a two cylinder pump attached to a 'walking' beam started reciprocating. The hose coming from the fountain expanded from flat to round as water flowed through it. Neal felt the same in the hose he held and released the valve holding the water back.

A powerful surge of water came through and splashed against the second floor of the building. Neal guided the stream of water into one of the windows and held on. He spared a glance to see others had stopped what they were doing and emulate what he had done with the pump. Neal motioned a wolf over and handed him the hose he currently held and then went to help them set up the others. The first he saw someone trying to put the smaller hose in the fountain.

"No, that's the hose you point towards the fire. The large hope is the one you use to draw in water." He then heard a clicking noise and saw another turning the crank in the wrong direction.

"You're turning the crank in the wrong direction. It needs to turn to the right to function properly." He then turned to see on the last wagon, a single mole holding the hose while a very broad muscled wolf started turning the crank.

"Hey! Can we get some more hands on that hose there? The pressure rushing through it is such that if you lose your grip or have too little weight to keep it grounded, that hose will go flying!"

As the firefighters organized, with Neal showing them how to work the machines, the fire began to dwindle in size until it was out completely after fighting it for a few hours. As the fighters cheered each other, above on a rooftop nearby, Ripper gazed at the human who smiled and cheered on those who had used his machines to fight the fire Ripper had started. It had been his intent that once the human joined the bucket line to run into the building and fight the fire, he would pour more mana into the fire and incinerate the human in a flashover.

However, with the machines working and no one having to go inside to fight the fire, Ripper realized the plan was a bust and cut the flow of mana that was feeding the flames. He muttered to himself as the firefighters dispersed, taking the carts away as well.

" _Touché_ human... Well, so much for going out in a blaze of glory... I suppose I'll have to get my claws dirty after all... I guess I'll send in Parik." Ripper rose, shook his chainmail out, and lifted off into the smoke-choked clouds.

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As Neal and several of the firefighters returned to the Tavern, a group of wolves and cheetahs emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn. As Neal slowed and stopped, sensing danger, one of the cheetahs stepped forward.

"There's the human! You lot, stand aside! The Boss has dealings with _this_ one." At that moment a growl was heard and the fighters and Neal watched as a large armor-clad dragon appeared from behind a building.

"Parik, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times! Do _not_ refer to me! You are _my_ subordinate, not the other way around!" Parik gave a shrug and drew a sword.

"Now then, human, you and me, one on one, no interferring!" Neal looked to Parik and then to the dragon.

"Is there something wrong? First off I make it a point not to offend anyone, second, I won't fight someone without a just cause." Parik growled.

"You had a hand in Lockjaw's death! You have a choice human, either face me, or face the Boss!" One of the cheetahs with Neal gulped and made his way to Neal's side.

"Neal, that dragon is Ripper. He's a veteran of the war. Made his name by fighting in Venom Dragon territory. They call him the Iron Demon." Neal frowned.

"First of all, it was the dragon Erz who killed Lockjaw. Secondly, I don't care, as I said, I won't fight without a just cause." Ripper snarled, a sound that made the cheetahs and wolves, even those on his side, shrink back in fear.

"Won't fight without a just cause, huh? Alright then, how about _this_?!" Ripper opened his maw and unleashed a torrent of blue-white flames that leapt towards several buildings, setting them alight. Ripper then turned back to Neal.

"I had intended to kill you swiftly and painlessly in the fire but you Forged your way out of it. Now you've gone and made _me_ angry. How about this, if you don't fight me, I'll set fire to this whole part of the city! It's your choice, fight, or die. Either way, I have my fun." He sneered at the last statement and watched Neal's reaction shift from calm to shock and then to anger. Neal turned to the firefighters with him.

"Go get the wagons and put these fires out!" Ripper frowned.

"Parik! Stop them!" Parik and his thugs advanced on the firefighters when suddenly a red blur flew in from the side, tackling Parik and sending him flying into a burning barrel. The fire caught Parik's fur and clothes and the cheetah sprang up howling and ran down an alley trying to smother the flames. Ripper's expression became even more fierce as he saw the dragon who had interfered.

Flame.

Neal glanced to the firefighters.

"Flame and I will handle this, get people to safety and warn the Guards!" Flame turned to him.

"No need, I've already got Rivet and Domino running for the gate to warn Terra and the others! Skylar should also be on his way back." Ripper growled angrily and unleashed a wall of fire that struck another delapidated building.

"If you think some whelp and a _human_ can best ME you are sorely mistaken." Neal channeled his mana and created an Lewis Machinegun and glanced to Flame.

"Let's take him."


	15. The Iron Demon, Part II

Well, as you guys have no doubt found out on DA, I tore my Achelles tendon in my right foot early this month and as a result have been laid up at home. I am able to move about with crutches and thus am now sitting here with the crutches propped up against the closet door and a bowl of hot chicken broth with crackers on the opposite side.

Blasted allergy attacks... they always hit me when I least want them. I'm curious what makes me so vulnerable to pollen and other airborne allergens? I guess that's a question for medicine to try and answer. Anyway, on with the story.

(I haven't stopped working on World Fury btw, I'm just having some difficulties finding a train of thought.)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 14: The Iron Demon, Part II

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Fires raged around the street where the Full Moon Tavern was located. Numerous cheetahs, wolves, moles, atlawa, and dragons fought to keep the fires contained, all the while fighting off several thugs who were trying to stop them. All the while, the originator of the flames, a large dragon known to everyone as Ripper, was being assaulted by a human with a machinegun and a red fire drake not even half of his size or weight.

Judging by the way the .303 caliber bullets were behaving, Neal had guessed that the rounds were causing discomfort to the large dragon but were not penetrating deep enough to cause any severe damage. Flame was airborne, using his smaller size to dive in, rake Ripper's body with flames before darting off again to gain speed for another attack. The thick smoke rising in to the sky, while hazardous to fly in, was nothing the a fire dragon. So far Flame's furious attacks had kept Ripper off balance, diverting his attention from the less maneuverable human on the ground who was merely an annoyance.

Neal scowled as he fired the last burst of ammo from the machinegun and cast it aside. He knew his mana was still enough to create something but for the life of him he couldn't think of what to create. A .303 bullet had little to no effect on the larger dragon. What the armor couldn't stop either the dragon's scales or the layers of muscle and fat underneath absorbed the energy of the bullet. If that weapon didn't work then what would.

Neal's mind frantically worked, trying to piece together everything he had learned and what he was learning by watching Ripper's movements.

It was plain to see that Ripper, though out of shape for some dragons he had seen around here, was still fit enough to keep up with Flame's movements, even though the attacks were still coming too fast for him to ward off. It was clear that a dragon would naturally percieve another dragon on the wing to be a larger threat than a small being on the ground with a weapons that had almost no effect.

 _(Dragons are built damn near like living tanks. If only I could create a weapon that was used to destroy tanks...)_ Neal mentally slapped himself and pictured a weapon literally right from the history books. A single-shot, bolt-action rifle developed by the Germans for use against the French and British tanks of the Great War.

It was known as the 'panzergewehr' or 'tank rifle'. However, there was a problem. He didn't know the exact caliber of the weapon and even then, it was a large, heavy, cumbersome weapon that, if fired while standing, the recoil would knock him ass over teakettle. He'd need to be prone, on the ground, with a good grip, to fire the weapon.

In short, a sitting duck.

Still, one shot would likely have the desired effect.

Neal visualized the Panzergewehr but with a small change. Instead of a German armored round, it used an American .50 caliber round. The mana was channeled and he half thought the flash of light would reawaken Ripper to the fact he had a second target but amazingly the dragon pursued Flame with what appeared to be a maddening determination.

Neal looked at his feet and saw the new weapon lying there, bipod deployed, with a leather satchel containing about twenty .50 caliber rounds. He dropped down into the rubble, pulled the first round free, loaded the rifle, and then took aim at Ripper as he moved to attack Flame. He aligned the front sight over the rear and aimed for the point just above Ripper's chest and squeezed the trigger.

The .50 caliber weapon's report was damn near deafening. The recoil was worse. The rifle, being a solid chunk of wood and steel, slammed itself in Neal's shoulder causing his aim to jerk just as the round exited the barrel. There was a sharp metallic _'clang'_ and the rattling of loose chainmail falling as Neal recovered to see a stunned Ripper glacing to the gap in the armor where his left pauldron had been and the chainmail that had fallen to the ground. The aforementioned piece of plate armor landed behind Ripper on the cobblestones with a _very_ big hole through it. Neal swore when he saw this.

He'd missed. Not even twenty feet from a dragon the size of a barn and he _missed_ with what was basically a cannon.

His grandfather had often used the old phrase 'couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a brass fiddle' or 'couldn't hit the broad side of a barn' when refering to people he knew could couldn't, or wouldn't, shoot a gun to save their lives. He'd never used that phrase at Neal although he could swear he'd just heard his Grandfather groan somewhere in the afterlife.

Ripper recovered from his shock quicker than Neal anticipated and then directed a stream of flames right at him. He was quick enough, however, to grab the bullets and the rifle and roll out of the way of the flames, hastily drew the bolt back, removing the spent round, loaded a fresh one, and again aimed at Ripper who saw this and ducked just as Neal pulled the trigger again. However, Neal wasn't aiming for Ripper's head.

The large caliber round impacted a piece of a burned-out building that Ripper had destroyed, shattering the only remaining support a rather large section of wall had. The wall tilted forward slowly, Ripper turned to see what the round had struck and Neal was rewarded by the dragon's eyes going wide under his helm, his jaw gaping in disbelief. Ripper moved to evade the falling stone wall but had to dodge a last minute attack from Flame, spoiling his chance to escape unscathed.

The wall cracked and broke apart as it fell, bricks, masonry, and stonework peppering Ripper as it came down on him, not enough to kill him but enough to dent his armor and bruise the bones and muscles underneath. The collapse was completed by a large section of a red brick chimney falling down and cracking in half over Ripper's head.

Ripper groaned and rubbed his head as he began to recover, however, as he turned his attention back to Neal and Flame, several roars got his attention and he gazed to see several members of the Guard flying towards them at high speed. Despite the fact that he was in pain, despite that inside he was seething with rage, he faced Neal and laughed.

"A good lark, that! I haven't been bested like that since my juvenile days. Well then, Neal Foster, you have officially earned my respect, something that I hardly give to anyone. If we meet again in the future, I expect a similar such fight from you." Ripper reached into his armor and produced a small vial filled with a thick black liquid and smirked.

"Never thought I'd have to actually _use_ this treasure. Liquid shadows, a token of affection from the venom dragons. They use these to sneak up on, ambush, and track their prey or escape from those hunting them. Still though, let me give you a gem's worth of free advice. I am but one piece of the machine that has plans for this part of the city. I don't know who or what will replace me but I assure you, those pulling the strings will not look upon this favorably." He shook the dust off his wings and gave a glance to the group and then back to Neal.

"Until next we meet, consider deeply who your true friends in this city are." Flame came forward and growled.

"Why not just tell us who you work for?!" Ripper glared at Flame with eyes that threatened to set him ablaze for taking that tone and daring to speak to him in such a manner but instead he gave a wicked smirk.

"Now why would I want to do a thing like that? I may _act_ like a brigand but I enjoy a good mystery and story as much as any other dragon. Besides... so much of a fuss has been made over this human, I'm interested to see if it actually was worth _something_ , or if he isn't as big a threat to them as _they_ fear he is." Ripper raised the bottle of liquid shadows up and smashed them to the ground as Flame came forward to try and stop him.

Instantly, Ripper was engulfed in shadows and, giving one last laugh that echoed as the shadows wreathed around him, he vanished, leaving only the broken glass vial behind. Flame turned to glance at Neal who was slumped over against the wall, his endurance spent from the fight. Flame then looked back to the spot where Ripper had been standing and then looked to the sky above.

"Who _was_ that dragon?"

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The shadows dissipated and dropped Ripper just outside the familiar walls of the settlement he recognized all too easily. The bleached white bones of massive jungle creatures lining the wood and stone wall that surrounded the village, all leading to a large gate crowned with several dozen skulls of said beasts as well as apes, dreadwings, and even a few other creatures of darkness. As he approached the gates, a yell from above got his attention and he dodged a spray of venom that landed where he had been standing.

Glancing up, he saw a young venom dragoness in one of the large trees behind the wall, her eyes sharp, the characteristic flame-orange irises giving her a particularly savage look. Ripper chuckled at her show of bravado and and allowed himself to smile.

"I come to speak with Matriarch Venomia." The dragoness halted, allowing Ripper to get a closer look at her. To his surprise, she couldn't have been any older than seven, meaning that she had likely been laid and hatched during the war, when he had been here last. The female growled and narrowed her gaze at him, green venom dripping from her fangs.

"What buisiness do you have with my Mother?" _That_ got Ripper's attention. He gazed at the dragoness with curious eyes and then noticed certain similarities. The female had her Mother's eyes and would likely grow to be like her in other ways as she matured, but she did have one thing that stood out as different...

...she had _his_ tailblade.

Ripper chuckled at the irony and then smiled to the young female.

"Go and tell your Mother that her Consort has returned. And _you_ young lady should know better than to speak to your sire in such a tone." The female, half climbing out of the tree, uttered a startled yelp at that last sentence and fell to the ground behind the wall, a geyser of leaves shooting up where she had landed.

Almost immediately, the gates opened and several more dragons clustered around the gate as Ripper entered the village. Several of the dragon he remembered seeing last timehe was here bowed their heads in respect to his deeds while others who had heard more about his 'exploits' with their Matriarch than his combat heroics flushed with amazement.

Almost as soon as he was in the town square, a familiar scent came into his nostrils. The scent of green apples mixed with several different flowers found only in the jungles here. Ripper gave a smile as a familiar dragoness came out from the home across the square where he currently stood.

Matriarch Venomia was just as he remembered her. Her face decorated with various paints denoting her status as Matriarch, yet not hiding the female charms that she wielded all too easily. Her body graceful and seductive, her shoulders arched like the alpha predator she was, her wings folded to the side giving the effect of a cape, yet not hiding the movement of her hips that the mere sight of started him sweating. This along with the long whip-like tail that trailed behind her that waved back and forth, each motion of the tail impregnating the air with an even stronger dose of her scent. Ripper found himself going doe-eyed and listless as he gazed at her, then suddenly he snapped out of it.

He realized what time of year it was and gave a small smile as she closed.

 _(Maybe today is my lucky day after all...)_

With that thought, Ripper began walking towards Venomia. Everything he had to tell her could wait until after they had finished 'reuniting' after all this time.

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The Tavern had been spared from the fire thanks to Neal and Flame's actions. However, several homes and buisinesses were not so lucky. Fenrir sat slumped at his table, his fur covered in soot and ash from his ruined store. For the first time Lyca could remember, the normally gluttonous wolf who enjoyed life like he enjoyed his food and strong drink, hadn't touched his food but had already imbibed himself several times over with some of the strongest drink Lyca had on hand.

It was disheartening.

Neal currently was being looked over while others looked on and whispers began to work their way around the Tavern. Some good, others less so.

'You heard what Ripper said, he only wanted the human. If he hadn't resisted, Ripper wouldn't have caused so much destruction.'

'You're daft. Even if Neal had surrendered and been killed, Ripper would have made an example of the district and burned the whole place down anyway. The damage is less than it would have been.'

'I _still_ think the human should have at least waited for the Guard to arrive, they could have stopped him easily.'

'Are you _kidding_ me right now? Ripper is a war veteran, trained to _kill_. What good are a few people who 'keep the peace' with little to no combat experience supposed to do against someone who can hold their own, solo, against a multitude of foes?'

'Besides, I heard something through the grapevine that a few members of the Guard are dirty. There's no guarentee that anyone who responded to the incident would have done anything. Now I'm not saying the entire Guard is corrupt, just a select few in prominent positions.'

'No of course not, still though, I find it difficult to believe that some of our own family and neighbors could have just stood by and done nothing while their homes were burned down.'

'Then you agree that the human could have done something differently?'

'I'm afraid that in the end Ripper forced his hand. It seemed to me that Ripper was going to fight Neal one way or the other.'

This and more similar discussions were struck up around the Tavern. After a moment, Neal was pronounced okay and he rose to take his seat beside Fenrir who gave him a slight nod.

"I don't blame you for what happened lad. I just wish it had been different." Neal nodded.

"Ripper didn't give me a chance. I didn't want to fight, but then he started to set fire to buildings and forced me to action." Fenrir nodded.

"I know lad, I was inside my store when I heard him ranting and raving. I must say you have some kind of patience to have endured it as long as you did. No, like I said I don't blame you, but I damn sure wish Ripper hadn't gone and started burning the buildings closest to him." Neal nodded and then saw some moles nearby who were busy going over some papers.

"Who are they?" Fenrir glanced to the moles and sighed.

"Those moles work with the city, repairing anything that has been destroyed or damaged. They're a rare sight in this part of the city but given what's just happened I can't say I'm surprised the Guard has called them in. It'll fall to them to pronounce buildings safe to repair and live in or condemn and tear down. The Slums though are just a few buildings away from being condemned and demolished completely. This may just be the last straw." Neal grimaced as he took the meaning and then looked to the moles.

"Not if I can help it."

Neal rose and walked to the moles, mentally, he called the Book to him and took a seat by them. The mole at the table looking over the papers looked up to him.

"You must be Neal, pleasure to finally meet you. Name's Temor, and I'm lead architect for this part of the city." Neal nodded.

"Nice to meet you. I'm here to ask your opinion on something. How would you rate the damage done to the buildings in this part of the city?" Temor sighed.

"To be honest? We had a dragon-sized mess to clean up _before_ this happened. Now though, our workload has almost tripled. We moles built this city as a symbol or our alliance with dragons. However, it took time and dedication to come together." Neal nodded.

"We humans have an old saying: 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. Seems like a proper analogy." Temor nodded.

"Well I have no idea how big this 'Rome' you speak of was or is but yes, Warfang wasn't built in a day. The merchant quarter and noble district alone took almost half a century. The Slums here were originally the Western Residential but after the war the damage was so great no one willingly wanted to live here. A few of these buildings were even designed by my ancestor Reken." Neal nodded.

"I take it your ancestor was famous." Temor nodded.

"Incredibly so. Word had it that several dragons originally opposed to the idea of the city actually came around once they saw a few examples of my ancestor's work and requested that their homes be built in similar fashion. I had hoped to one day make my mark as he had done all those years ago but sadly it seems I must religate myself to cleaning up the fallout from war." Neal nodded.

"I know what you mean. Tell me, if these older buildings have a flaw, what would it be?" Temor glanced at the papers and then to Neal and shrugged.

"I honestly wouldn't know. Now, the buildings Ripper burned were old, the stonework and masonry broken in several places exposing the dry old wooden supports. I suppose that in the end the old dry wooden skeletons of the buildings are as big a flaw as I can imagine. Unfortunately, the buildings we build are so large that free standing stone is impossible and wood is the cheapest solution for the framework." Neal glanced to see the Book floating nearby and set it down, opening it up to a blank page.

"What if there was another option?" Temor glanced to him.

"What option is that? You humans do something new with construction?" Neal nodded.

"What would you say if I told you that humans have advanced building methods so far that we can create large free-standing structures over one-hundred stories tall?" Temor gave him a flat look.

"You jest. There is absolutely _no way_ that such a building can exist. We moles are at the forefront of construction, it's in our blood, and the tallest building we can build is just barely six floors. Now then, _if_ and that's a BIG 'if', such a building was possible. How was it done?" Neal smiled.

"For about one-hundred years, humankind has built buildings known as 'skyscrapers' using steel framework. One of the first cities to use this technology was New York City in my home country, the United States. Some of the greatest buildings like the Empire State Building, the One World Trade Center, the United Nations building, and even monuments such as the Statue of Liberty. All use metal framework."

As he spoke, an the quill appeared and started drawing several buildings. Neal had once read a book on architecture for an assignment in school and as such the Book was now transcribing what he knew. The steel lattice work used in several buildings was drawn to great detail. Temor glanced at the drawings and his architect's mind immediately saw value in them.

"Can these be created?" Neal nodded.

"In the old days, it would take teams of men lining the beams, forging the rivets, hammering the rivets into place, and then lifting the frame piece into the correct position. If you can guarantee that the Slums can be revived, I will removed all but one of those steps. I can create the frame pieces, fully assembled and ready for integration. All that would be needed is be put into their proper places." Temor nodded.

"What would you like in return for this?" Neal looked to Fenrir and then back to Temor.

"We have to get Fenrir and several other shops back up and running. Allow me the chance to at least get Fenrir's shop re-established, and then I will devote my full time to creating the framework for the houses." Fenrir's ears perked up at the mention of his name and he heard what Neal was saying and his face split into a wide grin as he lunged and grabbed Neal in a great hug, obviously the liquor was fuelling his emotions.

"Neal... thanksh. You do thish for me, I will get yoush great dealsh on _all_ my merchandish. A wolf'sh word ish hish bondsh. You do thish favor, and I will be eternally grateful." Neal nodded.

"No need for that. You've already done me a good turn, I'm just returning a previous favor owed." Fenrir smiled at that and gave him a great cuff on the back and smiled to Lyca.

"Lyca, I hate to impose but, may I asksh for a room for the night?" Lyca glanced to him and then nodded. Neal then turned back to Temor and nodded.

"So then, shall we start in the morning?" Temor chuckled but shook his head.

"I know you're eager to go get at it but unfortunately we must ensure what buildings are still safe to live in. Tommorrow is a day for inspections and checks, there will be plenty of time to rebuild afterwards. Tonight, rest, recover, and tommorrow help those who need your skills." Neal nodded to the mole and then bid Lyca and Fenrir good night and walked up the stairs to his room.

Inside, he saw Domino and Rivet already in bed and sound asleep and Flame wide awake and glancing to him.

"For tonight I'll stay here, I hope you don't mind. I can't explain it but... something about Ripper unnerved me. Plus, just in case someone tries to come after you tonight, I'll stand watch. Terra and the others will be arriving shortly to set up a guard on the Tavern. Ripper has fled but members of his gang are still out there." Neal nodded and removed his jacket and readied his bed.

"Thanks for the vigil Flame. To be honest, I'm more worried about someone trying to hurt these two to get to me." Flame nodded.

"You're thinking like a parent." He sighed which got Neal's attention.

"Something else wrong Flame?" Flame nodded.

"The Guardians are sending Spyro and Cynder here tomorrow to likely assist in clearing debris. Apparently, a few nobles who haven't yet taken the hint are sending their daughters here, under guard, to see how they can 'assist'." Neal immediately understood.

"Let me guess, Ember's father is one of those who hasn't taken the hint?" Flame shook his head.

"Ancestor's no. Lord Albelar knows that Spyro and Cynder are a couple. It's Ember herself that hasn't taken the hint. It's just that her brothers, Devos and Myrtanthis don't want her falling for anyone below her station. A simple Guard like me, despite the fact I'm the son of Ash, is definately _not_ their first pick for their little sister. I wouldn't even be their _last_ pick. Yet, I still find myself drawn to her... All I would ask for was a chance, just a few moments to speak to her." Neal smiled.

"Alright, I can get you those few moments. When they arrive in the morning, I'll pull the brothers out of the way and get you alone with Ember." Flame immediately swung his head to look straight at Neal.

"Y-You'd do that?" Neal nodded.

"Sure, what are friends for." Flame gave Neal a nod and then set himself to the watch while Neal pulled himself into bed and was soon asleep.

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Ripper lay panting on the large bed. He was utterly spent and exhausted from what had transpired. Beside him lay Venomia who ran her tail along his while also rubbing her neck along his. As he returned the nuzzle, he glanced out the window in the bed chamber and saw the night sky and smiled.

"I'd almost forgotten what it was like being with you, my dear. I guess that absense does indeed make the heart grow fonder." Venomia chuckled, a rich sound from her as she leaned into another caress.

"Indeed. Although now that the heat is satisfied, for now, I _must_ ask what brought you back to me. Surely it wasn't just lonliness." Ripper chuckled.

"As always, your perceptiveness never ceases to amaze me. While I had been planning to see you again for a while now, I must admit that my trip was... hastened... by events in the city. Surely by now you are aware that there is something new in the city." Venomia nodded.

"Indeed. Word has already reached us here that there is a Forger in Warfang, and that this Forger is something called a 'human'. I must admit I am intrigued." Ripper nodded.

"Indeed. I fear I was on the wrong side of the fight this time. The human prevented me from carrying out my job and I had to retreat or risk arrest by the Guard. The human, Neal, is quickly making friends of the citizens and people in the Slums. I must admit that I admire him in a way. You'd like him, I think, he is in many ways like me when I first met you." Venomia chuckled, her long red tongue licking her lips.

"So, aloof, dedicated, alone, strong, smart, and _very_ skilled in serveral things... I may just take up the offer then." Ripper glanced to her.

"What offer?"

"The royals in Warfang and the Guardians are speaking of uniting the scattered dragon races. Malefor is gone, the war is over with the exception of that mewling whelp Shadra. I suppose if there was a time for us to benefit it would be now. To be honest I had been thinking of declining but in light of recent events, I find I'd like to see and meet with this human. I wonder, compared to a dragon, how does he stand?" Ripper groaned as he got her meaning.

"Too small to mate with if you're curious. It would be like trying to mate with a cheetah." Venomia nodded and sighed.

"Oh well, still, I have to admit I'm curious. Still, perhaps one of my older daughters... yes, perhaps Darte might do..." Ripper sighed.

"When in heat all you venom dragons think of is genetics. If one of them had the mind to, they probably _would_ mate with the human." Venomia smirked.

"Can you blame us? We breed only with champions and heroes, it's something in our blood that's been passed down from the previous generations. You were bested by a being as tall as a cheetah, how can I not be intrigued?" Ripper nodded.

"It's in your nature. Still, I hope that doesn't mean you're throwing me out." Venomia chuckled and rolled over, presenting herself to him.

"Not a chance. We've only gone at it twice. The heat is still strong and I _know_ you still have plenty to give." Ripper chuckled and slowly returned to her for the next round.

He decided. When Venomia decided to leave for Warfang, he'd go with her, only this time wearing different armor. It was time for Ash, former Captain in the Warfang Guard, to make a triumphant, if delayed, return. Still, the thought of seeing his brother, and his 'son' made him shudder.

But it wasn't a shudder of fear or anticipation.

It was anger.


	16. Unexpected Occurrences

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 15: A Sudden Occurance

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Shadra paced angrily back and forth in the chamber of the ruined citadel. Outside, violet lightning flashed and thunder boomed constantly. The entire chamber was bathed in an eerie violet light given off by a massive crystal that dominated the center of the room. Faintly, the silhouette of a dragon could be seen inside. As she paced back again, suddenly the crystal glowed brighter and a voice boomed from inside the crystal.

 _"Enough Shadra! Your pacing is making even_ _ **my**_ _patience grow short!"_ Shadra immediately froze and then faced the crystal.

"Master, I just don't understand. The Forger is the only way to free you, why not launch an attack and capture him and force him to free you?" The voice seemingly sighed.

 _"You have much to learn. Humans, especially strong willed ones, can rarely be forced to do anything. They must either be coerced, tricked, or otherwise convinced to do what we want them to do."_ Shadra nodded.

"Still, we have _him_. Why not use him to get what we want?"

 _"Because he is not awakened. If he had been exposed to mana naturally the way the Forger was when he first came to this world then he would have awakened his abilities. However, using Convexity as I did to rip him from his world and bring him here did not allow for his body to adjust. In fact it very nearly killed him, hence the reason he is still comatose, despite all these years. If he_ _ **had**_ _awakened, we wouldn't need the other."_ Shadra sighed.

"So then, if I am to free you, how would we go about doing so? The Forger is inside Warfang and the only possible alternative hasn't awakened."

 _"Give it time, my dear. Give it time. In the meanwhile, perhaps we_ _ **can**_ _encourage events to speed up a bit. I am going to drop the spell I am using to keep him hidden from the world. Given his propensity for meddling, once he sees_ _ **this**_ _book, Ignitus won't be able to help himself; he's going to deliver the Forger right into our claws..."_ Shadra nodded as Malefor's presence lessened but she still muttered under her breath.

"I would feel a whole lot better about the plan if the human was actually _here_ under my guard than with those blasted apes... Ancestor's know how unreliable they have proven in the past..."

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 _(moments later, at the Chronicler's Library)_

Ignitus was sorting through several books in the Library. Truth be told he had never been much of a bookwyrm, that title had belonged to Volteer. Still, it was interesting to see so many stories. On the pedistal was also Neal's book, having now fully integrated into the world, and been in contact with so many dragons, Ignitus was able to go over all the events in his life that had shaped the young human into the man he was today. Several times Ignitus found himself gawking at both Neal's recklessness but also his bravery and courage.

Neal's book was a literal encyclopedia on human culture and behavior. Through reading his book, Ignitus came to understand humans better than most dragons had in centuries. While serving, Neal had been a literal hero, despite being only an 'NCO' in the Coast Guard. His career was all laid out from basic training to the interdiction of several shipments of some kind of illegal substance called 'cocaine', to his heroics on board the German cruiser _Arminius_ , the rescue of passengers on the luxury ocean liner _Atlantica_ , his solo counterattack on the hijacked cargo vessel _Venture Pacific_. Truly, his life was impressive.

Then, he felt a familiar tingling, the sort of which happened when a new book, a new life, came into his library. As he glanced about for the new arrival, he saw it on a different pedistal and proceeded to examine it. He didn't recognize the characters outright but as he opened it and read the first page, his jaw dropped. He immediately began flipping through the pages, reading as he went until he came to the last few pages. It was then that he realized what he had before him.

"By the Ancestors!"

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 _(back in Warfang)_

Lyca had almost never seen the Tavern this busy. It had rained almost all day yesterday while the moles were out examining the buildings and now that the clouds had cleared, it seemed like almost everyone in the city had come to the Slums to see what work was going to be done.

Of course, word that Neal was going to be helping the effort brought several more out of curiousity than anything else.

She had to admit though, the way Neal worked, creating those massive steel 'lattices' and then helping the moles and dragons move them into position to be integrated into the new buildings, it was amazing. To avoid tiring the dragons and moles out too quickly (as well as to conserve his mana), Neal had been focusing on making what he called 'three by three latices' meaning there were three beams positioned vertical and three beams across the width. These were the smallest latices he knew how to make and were the most effective for the types of buildings he was going to be working on. The moles dictated how tall a building was going to be and how large it was and Neal's magic allowed him to conform to the required specifications.

True to his request, the moles and dragons were working on Fenrir's shop first. This was not frowned upon by the people who lived in the slums because they knew how important Fenrir's shop was to everyone and it was urgent to get the general store back to work.

The moles and Neal had been working since sunrise and already the shape of a building was coming together. Work that would have taken days or weeks to complete was being done in hours and minutes. The metal laticework had already completed the 'skeleton' of the building and the moles were working on building the stone walls on the inside as well as the outside. The first floor of the two floor building was almost complete and Neal was already on the second floor working on the walls and laying out the frame for the roof.

It was midday before they took a break and went to the Tavern to rest and eat before getting back to it. Six hours of hard, intense work drained enough out of people that even the moles ate plenty. No sooner were they done with lunch then they were right back at it.

Lyca had taken a moment to step outside to watch the construction and saw just exactly Neal's work entailed. He would create a lattice piece, three earth dragons would lift it into position, a fire dragon was busy heating small pieces of metal called 'rivets' (which caused little Rivet no end of amusement), a mole would grasp a white-hot rivet with long tongs and then set it to a hole in the connecting pieces.

With a small hammer, Neal would tap the rivet into the hole, then switch to a larger two handed maul, and that was when he kicked it up a notch. Neal swung the larger two-handed maul with speed and strength that made several observers stop just to watch him work. Several of the wolves and cheetahs who were working hard had already stripped their sweat-soaked tunics off and were continuing their work. Neal had done likewise, only his lack of fur on his body made Lyca focus even more on him.

Neal's body was of a similar color tone of his face and hands. However compared to some of the others, his lack of fur made his muscles stand out more prominently. She had known Neal was physically strong, but just seeing his arms, the way his muscles moved as he swung the maul, it set off a series of emotions in her. Furthermore, several small scars could be seen on his body in several places. Some were small and narrow and a few were round. There was one noticable one though, on the left side of his chest, a long and narrow scar that ran from the shoulder to the center of his chest.

Nor however, was she the only one observing Neal work. She was aware of at least seven dragons and maybe perhaps a dozen or so cheetahs and wolves who were watching with rapt attention. Flame had been busy as well, assisting with heating the rivets and making sure they were delivered where they were needed at that particular moment. She would have liked to have remained outside waching Neal work but at that moment a loud crash got her attention and she sighed and went back inside to see what had been broken.

Neal had been focused on his work but had noticed Lyca watching him and he decided to put a little extra 'oomph' into his work. After she went back inside, he slowed down the hammering to stretch his stamina out. At that moment, the moles slowed down, as did the dragons and then one of the moles started humming something. However, before the tune got started, the mole stopped and looked to Neal.

"You're kinda silent over there Neal, tell me, you humans have any stories where you come from? Doesn't have to be fact or anything, just something to pass the time while we work." Neal finished the rivet he was working on and rested his hands for a moment, his mind working before chuckling to himself.

"I know a good deal of stories. My grandparents were the same way, every time I'd visit them they'd always have a story to tell. There was one my grandpa heard when he worked construction when he was a young man but... well... it's humorous but at the same time distracting." The moles glanced to him as did the dragons.

"Well we have time, besides, if it's good for a laugh we may as well get a few in, might lighten the mood a bit." Neal nodded and then thought back on that old story.

"Well, my grandpa, rest his soul, was working on some building in the city of New York back in... oh, I guess it was around 1950 or thereabouts. He heard the story about the bricklayer. This fellow, his job on the building was lay mortar and brick to build walls. One day, he needed to get a load of bricks from the fourteenth floor down to the first floor but didn't feel like carrying them down all those stairs. Nor did the thought of throwing them down from that height appeal to him either." One of the dragons looked to him.

"So what did he do?" Neal smiled.

He got a barrel, loaded it with the bricks, tied a rope around it, threw the rope down the building to where a friend of his anchored it, then, he himself went down the stairs to the barrel and though to lower the barrel of bricks by hand." Neal chuckled as he knew what happened next.

"Well as it turns out, the barrel of bricks outweighed the bricklayer. As soon as the rope was untied, the barrel dropped, the rope spun on the pulley which it was fastened to, and the bricklayer, still hanging onto the rope, got pulled _up_ into the air as the barrel came down. Well, he gets about halfway up the building, then what happens? He hits the blasted barrel of bricks coming down but _still_ he doesn't let go of the rope." Several workers suddenly smiled at that and Neal continued.

"Well the man reaches the top floor, only to hit his head on the pulley. The barrel of bricks hit the ground and broke, scattering several dozen of the heavy bricks around. Wouldn't you know it? No sooner had the barrel emptied about half it's bricks did the bricklayer now _outweigh_ the barrel and now _he_ started down and the barrel started back _up_."

"What happened next?" Neal smiled, though he hadn't seen who had asked.

"What do you think? He hit the damn barrel _again_ as he came down and it went _up_." There was an explosion of laughter from the dragons and Neal nods.

"Oh trust me, it gets worse, the guy _lands_ on the bricks that got spilled from the barrel and then, only then does he let go of the rope, thinking the worse is behind him, wouldn't you know it? He let go of the rope, the barrel came down and actually _landed_ on him." A dragon winced.

"Ouch." Neal nodded.

"The man survived of course, but he was supposedly black and blue for several weeks after that little incident. It was generally told for a laugh and my grandpa could tell it _far_ better than me." The others nodded as Neal went back to work. As he started though, he started humming an old sea shanty he had learned from an old salt in the Coast Guard. After a moment, a dragon glanced to him, curious.

"What song is that" Neal chuckled.

"Back when I was in the Coast Guard, we had this old salt of a sailor for a mechanic. While he worked on the ship, he always sung some old old sea shanties he said he picked up as a lad when he sailed the seas with his Father. This one in particular dates back to Civil War and was named for a famous, or rather _infamous_ , ship of that time, the Confederate merchant raider _CSS Alabama_." The dragon looked to him.

"Could you sing it?" Neal chuckled as he saw other dragons also nodding, hoping he would. He finally gave a dramatic sigh and nodded.

"Very well. It starts off like this-"

He whistled an opening bar or two and then went back to hammering, managing to swing the hammer in time with the song.

 _'When the_ Alabama's _keel was laid-'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'It was in the city of Berkinhead.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

Neal had managed to time his hammer swing so that every time he said the word 'Roll' the sledge struck the rivet and ever other word in the song.

 _'They called her number two-nine-two.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'In honor of the merchants of Liverpool.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

Neal then switched to a new rivet and then picked up with the chorus.

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Ro-o-o-oll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

He switched back to the sledge and then resumed.

 _'To the western isles she made her run.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'To be fitted out with shot and gun.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

 _"From sixty-two to sixty-four.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

 _'She took sixty Yankee ships-of-war!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Ro-o-o-oll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

The dragons and moles, seeing how he was singing and working, picked up the chorus every time he said 'Roll, _Alabama,_ Roll!'.

 _'It was early on a summer's day.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'Captain Simms, he docked in Cherbourg Bay.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

 _'It was there she met the little_ Kearsarge. _'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

 _'With Captain Winslow in her charge.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Ro-o-o-oll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

Despite the fact that is was just a sea shanty, the fact that there was a story in the song, got several others attentions, including which, Neal was amazed to see, was Spyro and Cynder, along with the two dragons Flame had mentioned the other day, Ember's brothers: Devos and Myrtanthis. He guessed that dragons liked to hear stories and decided that was how he was going to hold the two brother's attentions. It was sound reasoning because Ember was apparently nowhere to be seen.

 _'Outside the three mile limit they fought.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'Great Navy steel and British shot.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

 _'Till a shot from a forward pivot, they say.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'Tore the_ Alabama's _gear away!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

Neal was tiring so he used the slow down in the song to rest his muscles, he was also amazed by the looks on several of the dragon's faces. Several of them were enthralled by the story and obviously wanted to know what happened next.

 _'Then the British did the crewmen save.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama, _Roll!'_

 _'From sharing their vessel's watery grave.'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _, Roll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Ro-o-o-oll!'_

 _'Roll,_ Alabama _! Roll,_ Alabama _, Ro-o-o-o-o-o-o-oll!'_

Neal was recovering from the work and had finished the song. A young earth dragon who had been helping him quickly came forward.

"Do you have any others songs like that one? It's no secret that dragons love stories, especially in song." This was confirmed by several others, including the two brothers, nodding their heads. Neal thought for a moment and nodded, remembering another old maritime song he had loved hearing when he was younger. He immediately picked up a rivet and started back to work. The drumming of the hammer created the intro.

 _'In May of Nineteen Forty-One, the war had just begun.'_

 _'The Germans had the biggest ship that had the biggest guns.'_

 _'The_ Bismarck _was the fastest ship to ever sail the seas.'_

 _'On her decks were guns as big as steers and shells as big as trees.'_

Immediately several dragons went wide-eyed, wondering just how such a ship could float. Neal supressed his chuckled and continued.

 _'Out of the cold and foggy night came the British ship, the_ Hood. _'_

 _'And every British sailor, he knew and understood.'_

 _'They had to sink the_ Bismarck _, the Terror of the Seas.'_

 _'Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees.'_

Neal had thought he saw Cynder wince for a moment but then nodded as Spyro placed a wing over her back and brushed his head against hers. He immediately recalled that Cynder had been called the 'Terror of the Skies' and mentally slapped himself. Still, they looked to be interested in the song so he continued.

 _'They said:'_

 _'We'll find the German battleship that's making such a fuss.'_

 _'We have to sink the_ Bismarck _cause the world depends on us!'_

 _'We'll hit the deck a-running and we'll spin those guns around!'_

 _'For when we find the_ Bismarck _, we've got to cut it down!'_

Neal had substituted the word 'her' for 'it' so that he didn't emotionally wound Cynder again. Thankfully, she had recovered and was once again listening with rapt attention. This gave Neal the courage to proceed.

 _'The_ Hood _found the_ Bismarck _, but on that fatal day.'_

 _'The_ Bismarck _started firing from fifteen miles away.'_

 _''We've got to sink the_ Bismarck! _' Was the battle sound.'_

 _'But when the smoke had cleared away the mighty_ Hood _'d gone down.'_

Neal stopped for a moment to rest his arms and also to wait for more rivets to be brough to him. As he did so, one of Ember's brothers, Devos, came forward.

"What did you mean that 'the mighty _Hood_ 'd gone down? Was she sunk?" Neal sighed, knowing his history, and nodded.

"During the battle, the _Hood_ and another warship, _Prince of Wales_ , found the _Bismarck_ and another ship _Prinz Eugen_. The German warships had 'crossed the T' meaning they were in position to fire all their guns at once while the British could, at best, bring one-quarter or half their guns to bear. It was said that some shells from _Bismarck_ pierced the steel armor above the _Hood_ 's magazine which detonated and ripped the mighty warship in half as easily as one could rip a sheet of parchment." Neal saw the looks on their faces and then nodded.

"The _Hood_ carried a crew of some one-thousand, three-hundred, and forty-one men on board. Only three, out of the entire crew, survived the explosion and the sinking." Several onlookers gasped at hearing that.

"Afterwards, the _Bismarck_ retreated, intent on completeing it's mission of sinking commerce traders. It's escort vessel, _Prinz Eugen,_ returned to base for repairs from damage inflicted by the _Hood_ and the _Hood_ 's escort vessel _Prince of Wales_ , picked up the three survivors and made all haste back to England."

A dragon growled angrily.

"Was the _Bismarck_ ever sunk?" Neal nodded as a fire dragon set a bucket of red-hot rivets before him and he then picked up where he had left off.

 _'For six long days and weary nights, they tried to find her trail.'_

 _'Churchill told the people,'_

 _"Put every ship a-sail!"_

 _'Cause somewhere on that ocean, I know it's got to be,'_

 _"We've got to sink the_ Bismarck _to the bottom of the sea!'_

 _'He said:'_

 _'We'll find the German battleship that's making such a fuss.'_

 _'We have to sink the_ Bismarck _cause the world depends on us!'_

 _'We'll hit the deck a-running and we'll spin those gund around!'_

 _'For when we find the_ Bismarck _, we've got to cut it down!'_

 _'The fog was gone the seventh day and they saw the morning sun.'_

 _'Ten hours away from Homeland, the_ Bismarck _made it's run.'_

 _'The Admiral of the British said 'Turn those bows around!''_

 _'We've found that German battleship, and we're going to cut it down!'_

 _'The British guns were aimed and the shells were coming fast.'_

 _'The first shells hit the_ Bismarck _, they knew it couldn't last!'_

 _'That mighty German battleship is now a memory.'_

 _''Sink the_ Bismarck _!' Was the battlecry that shook the seven seas.'_

 _'They said:'_

 _'We found the German battleship that's making such a fuss.'_

 _'We had to sink the_ Bismarck _cause the world depends on us!'_

 _'We hit the deck a-running and we spun those gund around, yeah!'_

 _'We find the mighty_ Bismarck _, and then we cut it down!'_

 _'They said:'_

 _'We found the German battleship that's making such a fuss.'_

 _'We had to sink the_ Bismarck _cause the world depends on us!'_

 _'We hit the deck a-running and we spun those gund around, yeah!'_

 _'We find the mighty_ Bismarck _, and then we cut it down!'_

As Neal finished the song, a last final strike drove the rivet on this brace home. A team of dragons was bringing a new section of the lattice up and Neal saw an expectant look from the dragon who had asked him about the _Bismarck_ 's fate.

"Of course there was more to the battle than that. It started with torpedo bombers from a British carrier, the _Ark Royal_. These bombers found the _Bismarck_ before any other vessels had had the chance to sail yet. It took one bomber, with a pilot and bombadier more crazy than sensible, to fly straight into the anti-air fire the _Bismarck_ 's guns were putting up and drop their torpedo."

"This underwater bomb sailed straight and true and blew up just as the _Bismarck_ 's rudder was in front of it. As a result, the battleship's steering mechanism was destroyed and the _Bismarck_ could only sail in circles until the British fleet caught up with it. Surrounded and outgunned, the _Bismarck_ put up a last stand before the crew, refusing to let their ship be captured, scuttled her to avoid capture." The dragon smiled.

"Was this in that Great War we heard about?" Neal shook his head.

"No. It took place _after_ the Great War by about thirty years. However, the story of the _Bismarck_ doesn't end there. There was another ship, a mirror image of the _Bismarck_ known as the _Tirpitz_. However, there are no songs about it because it never really did anything during the war. Bombed continuously by aircraft from not only the British carrier _Furious_ but also by long-range bombers from England, and torpedoes by British submarines called X-craft, the _Tirpitz_ survived only by slinking away and hiding in the fjords of Norway for about three years before a massive bombing raid finally ended it _._ " The dragon was amazed by the story as were others. Neal was also pleased to see that Ember's brothers were also staying and he then started on another song as he went back to work.

 _(Flame, I'm buying you a lot of time here. If you can find Ember, make it count.)_

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Flame stood near the Tavern, his eyes on Ember as she watched everything going on around her with disinterested eyes as she searched for Spyro. He slowly approached her and then gave a polite nod to her as he came up beside her.

"Hi, Ember. Uh... so, how do you think everything is going?" Ember glanced at Flame and nodded.

"Fine I suppose. Tell me, have you seen Spyro around anywhere?" Flame sighed.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen him since he arrived with Cynder." At the mention of Cynder's name, Ember growled warningly.

"Do _not_ mention _her_ name in my presense. _I_ am Spyro's beloved, not some former 'Terror of the Skies'. She may be acting all nice and quiet but she's still the same monster underneath it all." Flame sighed. This was going to be more difficult than he had first thought.

"Ember, I was actually wondering something..." Ember glanced to him.

"Oh? What is it?" Flame stammered as he tried to put together what he was going to ask her.

"Uh... If, per say, there was a dragon, not Spyro, who liked you... I mean _really_ liked you... a lot... would you consider... maybe... uh... giving him a chance...? I mean not like a date or anything per say but maybe just... having lunch with him?" Ember glanced at Flame and shrugged.

"I suppose I might. Still, if this dragon _really_ likes me then he should just come right out and say it. As for having lunch, well I suppose we'd just have to see. Still though, I cannot bring myself to give up on Spyro yet. There's still a chance, there's _always_ a chance." Flame was about to say something else when suddenly a portal opened up before them an a teal-colored dragon stepped through it. Flame immedately recognized him by the statue at the Temple.

"Guardian Ignitus!" Ignitus turned to see Flame and nodded.

"Flame, I must find Neal Foster. It's urgent." Flame glanced to Ember and then back to Ignitus.

"What's so important that you need to come here in person?" Ignitus glanced at the book he had floating beside him and sighed.

"It's Neal's brother Danny, he's alive."

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 _(somewhere in an old castle)_

Daniel Foster tugged at the chains that were binding him. For some reason, he was neither hungry nor thirsty. He had been feigning being comatose for the past five days as he slowly worked out where he was and how he had become chained.

Thankfully, the wall was apparently in rather poor condition and it had been amazingly easy to loosen the shackles that held him in place. All he needed was two, maybe three, more hours and he would be free...

Then, of course, would come the hard part.

Escape.

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Well there we have it, another chapter complete. If you guys and gals like where this story is going, send me a message or write a review. Your comments are always welcome.


	17. Escape From Darkfort

Okay everyone, I'm kinda shifting focus away from Neal for the moment because I want to flesh out what kind of character his brother will be so please bear with me.

Also, as to the bombings last night in Manchester in the UK, my prayers are with the families of those who lost loved ones, those who survived, and with the city of Manchester and Great Britain itself.

God Save Us All.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 16: Escape from Darkfort

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8_*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-*_*_*_*_*_*_*-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

6 August, 2013

 _"Attention! Attention! Emergency scramble order issued! Lieutenant Daniel Foster and Lieutenant Ian Collins report to the Base Commander immediately for your orders!"_

Daniel immediately frowned and turned back to the screen which displayed his younger brother's face and sighed.

"Look Neal, I'd be proud of you whatever you decide. I admit, it _would_ be something if you and I could fly together but to be honest, Mom needs you more there than over here. Just... promise me one thing. Promise me that you'll spend more time thinking about it than just your standard fifteen seconds. Consider this a test to determine whether or not I vouch for you when you decide to enlist." Neal laughed.

"You vouch for me? I bet you don't have an ounce of pull at the Naval Academy." Daniel chuckled.

"You'd be surprised. I didn't spend _all_ my time with my head in the clouds you know. I became close friends with several of my instructors once they saw I wasn't a hot-shot or a goof-off. Look, I come back from this mission, I'll put in a call to the Commandant at Annapolis and ask him if he'll be willing to put up with _another_ Foster for four years. I can't make any promises though, the old man is strictly by the book." Neal smiled and nodded.

"I'll hold you to that, although given the reputation you had at the academy, don't be surprised if he hangs up the phone as soon as you say the name 'Foster'." Daniel nodded.

"He may do just that... well, I've put off the order as long as I can, take care of yourself baby brother." Daniel ended the video call and rose from the chair and headed to the Ops Center where his wingman was waiting for him.

As was the Base Commander.

"Well Buzzer, glad you could make it. I do hope that we weren't disturbing you with this _emergency scramble order_. I don't normally care for excuses but this time I think I'd like to hear yours." Daniel looked abashed and nodded.

"Sorry sir, my little brother wouldn't get off the comms until I promised him I'd look into getting him an appointment to Annapolis. He has hopes of flying in the same squadron with me." The CO frowned.

"Well keep this attitude up and I'll see to it the only thing you end up piloting is a desk! I highly doubt a young man like your brother would enjoy endless piles of paperwork." Daniel shook his head.

"No sir he wouldn't like that." The CO nodded.

"Now then, the briefing, the patrol you were scheduled for has become something more. Ten minutes ago, we lost contact with a group of UN forces, mainly Canadian and French troops. When comms were restored, we recieved various reports about incoming enemy fire. You are to take off, head to the hostile area, and engage and destroy any and all hostiles in that area." The CO turned to them.

"Buzzer, you will be using an A-10 armed with a multirole armament including rocket pods, air-to-air missiles, precision-guided bombs, and the standard one-thousand rounds of 30mm cannon ammo. Longbow, you will fly escort using an F-15C, also with multirole armaments. Should the enemy presense be... noticable, you are free to call in assistance. The Army has a squadron of F-16s on standby plus a force of attack choppers should the need for them arise."

Danny nodded as the CO turned off the projector and then waved them away.

"Dismissed."

 _(thirty minutes later...)_

 _"Boombox to Buzzer, have you pinged anything remotely like a distress beacon yet?"_ Danny shook his head and keyed his radio.

"No dice Boombox. I've got one big fat goose egg. Not even radio chatter, just static. For a bunch of guys supposedly getting their asses shot out from under them, you'd think they'd be raising just a _little_ more hell on the radio."

 _"Solid copy on that. I'd even be happy to hear a-"_

 _"For God's sake stop gabbing about like two geese and give us some bloody support!"_ Buzzer gave an involuntary glance to his wingman.

"Boombox, was that _you_?"

 _"Nope."_ Danny swore and pulled the mask over his face and turned on the radio again.

"This is Lieutenant Daniel Foster, USN, callsign Buzzer. Identify yourselves."

 _"This is Captain Eric Daniels of the Ninth Canadian Rifles. We are, as you Americans say, in deep shit. We would_ _ **really**_ _appreciate some support, most preferably in the form of a couple of high-explosive bombs dropped where we've painted with the laser."_ Danny flipped the laser detection device and shook his head.

"Sorry Captain, my laser detector seems to be malfunctioning. I'm going to have to dumb drop them. What're the odds you could use pop smoke on the target for delivery?"

 _"Ross! Get those forty mike-mike smoke rounds ready... Of_ _ **course**_ _I mean the red ones. Right. Okay Buzzer, we're firing red smoke grenades at the target. This of course means the bastards'll scatter like roaches when the lights come on so you'd better drop your weapons fast."_

Danny did as he was told and readied to drop his ordnance when he saw the red smoke. A moment later, he saw a thin trail of smoke coming from an abandoned building overlooking what his wingman confirmed was the UN forces location. He came in low, lined the aircraft up for a perfect dive run and released all his weapons in one pass.

The building exploded outward as the bombs impacted and penetrated the roof and hit the ground floor. The sides belled outwards, fire shot through the roof, and soon the entire remaining structure crumbled in on itself. Thick black smoke poured from the ruins and people were climbing from the wreckage. Danny gave a small smile inside his mask.

"Buzzer to ground forces, enemy positions exposed. They're all yours."

 _"Ground copies. Thanks for the help."_ Danny flipped a returned the aircraft to cruising speed and gave a deep sigh.

"Buzzer to Base, mission accomplished, we're heading home."

A burst of static took over the radio, forcing Danny to rip the mask and helmet off his head. What he saw once the helmet was off made him blanch. The gauges on his aircraft were going absolutely crazy. A loud _boom_ echoed and the rpm and oil pressure of the starboard engine dropped to zero and the fire alarm for the port engine started blaring. The altimeter started to dip slowly as the A-10's weight started forcing it down. Frantically, Danny tried the radio again.

"Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is Buzzer to any allies in the area, I have lost both engines and I'm going down! Restart checks have failed, I'm losing oil and hydraulic pressures. All alarms are in the red. Altitude is Angels Sixteen, I'm bailing out."

Suddenly, a bright violet light exploded all around him. The cockpit of the A-10 began to disintigrate around him he felt as if his body was being ripped apart on a cellular level. Then:

 _"Hurry you fools! The Convexity is tearing him apart! Goro you_ _ **assured**_ _me that there would be time to infuse his body with mana!"_

 _"I don't know what has happened Your Majesty! His... His inate abilities are conflicting the Convexity!"_

 _"Well_ _ **do**_ _something! Rip him through if you have to but make sure the Forger is_ _ **alive**_ _! Lord Malefor will_ _ **not**_ _permit failure! Once he is through, do_ _ **everything**_ _in your powers to keep him alive."_

 _"Rest assured King Gaul, Malefor_ _ **will**_ _have his Forger. One way, or another..."_

Danny had time to scream once as the pain became unbearable and intense heat raced over his body and he heard the radio kick in one last time.

 _"This is Boombox! I have visual on the plane, it is burning and going down. I have no chute, say again, no chute!"_

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 _(present day)_

Danny awoke from his dream with a start. Quickly he made sure that no one had heard him come awake all at once and went back to trying to work the anchor block holding his chains free. The first time he had come to he had just barekly cracked an eyelid when he saw a large ugly ape of some sort standing in front of him. Only his training kept him from crying out in shock. All the while, his mind worked.

 _(It's as plain as anything that I'm not a prisoner of the terrorists... nor am I in another country's prison. Still though, these apes... Who is this Gaul, Malefor, and Goro? How long have I been out, probably not for very long... Yet, why do I feel so weak?)_ A chuckle from the corner got his attention and he saw a stooped figure crawl towards him.

"You have been out **far** longer than a 'little while'. The weakness is normal considering what they put you through to get you here." Danny cursed to himself.

"So I'm awake. What are you going to do to me?" The creature chuckled.

"Me? Absolutely nothing. I may be an ape the same as those who have you locked here but I am no ally of their's. My name is Rogo. I am the twin brother to the mage who brought you here. I was thrown into this prison for trying to convince several ape clans that fighting would only lead our race to further ruin. To seek peace with the other races in the world. Yet my brother and Shadra and their discovery of Malefor's prison rendered my arguements moot." Danny chuckled.

"So this Malefor is in prison? Why need me though?" Rogo chuckled.

"It is because you are something special. Or rather, the abilities within you are special. Tell me, have you ever had the urge to take something apart, discern how it works, and then put it back together again?" Danny went wide-eyed at that and gave a cautious nod. Rogo chuckled again.

"Then allow me to enlighten you. You see... many, many centuries ago, there was a type of art in the world known to us apes as 'Mechanise'. Naturally this magic has other names. To the cheetahs it is Attorkor, to the dragons, Forger. We apes have kept the lessons previous bearers of this magic have given us but they are pale imitations of the grand machinations created." He took a deep breath and gave out a long dramatic sigh as if remembering something but then shook his head.

"Bah, now I _know_ I'm getting old; I'm starting to digress... Centuries ago, Malefor, a dragon of unprecedented evil, managed to guile his way to earn my species loyalty. He then tried to steal away the magic of the Forgers for himself, yet, the dragon Ancestor's saw this threat and sent the magic away to another world and dimension." Danny chuckled.

"A nice story. So, let me guess, the world was Earth, it was my species dimension, and I just so happen to be the only one with this 'Forger' power. Heh, well then, hate to disappoint but the only magic I've ever done was pulling a fifty-cent piece out of my little brother's nose. That and making a high school bully's prized 1966 Corvette disappear for a week. Why couldn't this Malefor have chosen another to pull to this dimension, I mean surely there has to be others?" Rogo coughed.

"There are." Danny frowned.

"Then why didn't he pull _them_ here? I had a family, a mother who loved me and a baby brother who looked to me for advice. God only knows what's happening back home."

"Because it was my brother's opinion that the elder brother's potential would have already eclipsed the younger." Danny froze.

"Y-You mean Neal? He's a Forger? Is-Is he safe?" Rogo sighed.

"For the moment." Danny frowned.

"If he gets hurt or dragged to this godforsaken dimension I swear by whatever powers that be in this world you and anyone close to this Malefor is going to die with boots on: MINE!" Another sigh.

"Too late for that. Your little brother has already been pulled into this world. Albeit, under **far** better circumstances." Danny glanced to him.

"What do you mean?" Rogo shrugged.

"I honestly haven't all the details but the dragon Chronicler, the creature who records all the 'stories' of dragonkind, sensed your brother was in danger and gave him a choice: come to this world and survive, or stay and face certain death. He chose to come to this world." Danny growled.

"That little- What the Hell about Mom, eh?" Rogo sighed.

"That goes back to the time you've been out. Just for my curiousity, how long do you think that's been?" Danny shrugged.

"I don't know, a few days perhaps?" Rogo coughed in his throat which sounded suspiciously to Danny like a laugh.

"I take it I'm off?" Rogo then _did_ laugh.

"By a great margin dear boy. You see, you have been a 'guest' of Darkfort's prisons for just over four, perhaps five, _years_. During that time, Malefor cast a spell on you to sustain your body with mana until my brother could devise a way to bring your domant abilities to the surface. Fortunately, the two heroes, Spyro and Cynder, defeated Malefor and imprisoned him before he had a chance. You have still been sustained with mana although at a somewhat diminished rate, hence the weakness."

Danny felt the chains finally give and he slumped to the floor with exhaustion. His flight suit, once pristine, was ragged and torn in multiple places. Plus, it fell loosely upon his arms and sagged around his legs, lending truth to what the old ape was saying. He gazed around the room and mumbled a curse.

"Still. You said he was safe for now. Why?" Rogo turned to him.

"You awoke from the slumber all at once, that means that the magic keeping your body supplied with mana was released. While you were comatose, your life force was hidden from the world. Now, it is as if a bright flame had appeared where once there was nothing. Everyone attuned to such changes has been made aware of your existance. Likely, the dragon Chronicler has already alerted your brother or is currently in the process of doing so."

"Doubtlessly this is all part of Malefor's plan. If he cannot use your powers, he will use you as bait to draw your brother outside the safety of Warfang's walls. That must _not_ happen!" At that moment, Danny began to sense something coming from Rogo.

"W-What're you-?" Rogo frowned.

"The best hope of protecting your brother is to remove the bait from the trap before it springs. My brother was a fool to try and force you to awaken your powers. He didn't realize what I have realized, that a Forger must be coaxed into awakening. The magic would _never_ awaken to force or dark magic like Convexity. I can awaken your abilities, Daniel Foster. In return, I only ask for one thing." Danny sighed wearily but nodded.

"Name it." Rogo fixed his eyes on him with a steel-like firmness.

"Help me save my people from their imminent destruction. If this war starts again, I fear we will awaken the dragon's ire so much they will not stop until we are extinct. Not all of us are as wicked as the dragons believe. However, be warned, you may be put at odds with your brother as the dragons now have sunk their claws into him. They would not relinquish their Forger without a fight, nor would they permit us 'evil' apes to possess one." Danny eyed the ape mage worriedly.

"Will the dragons protect him?" Rogo nodded.

"Indeed. Once they realize what he truly is, most likely there would be many who would willingly give their lives to protect him. Although where magic is concerned, some dragons still practice hoarding treasure and may seek to add your brother, figuratively, to their hoard. Mainly by becoming a sole benefactor or something of the sort. As they deal with gems mostly, gold and other such precious metals are deemed irrelevant."

"Now then, once you are ready, I will awaken your abilities. Once I do this though, I will be unable to protect us and most likely every ape and grublin in the fort will be alerted to you." Danny nodded and braced himself as Rogo summoned a blue, mist-like shroud that began whirling around him.

The mist seemed to be teeming with electricity. Danny felt his hair standing on end and was fighting his body to remain upright even though the force emanating from the mist was almost akin to pulling a High-G maneuver. Then as the mist grew an even brighter shade of blue, Rogo lifted a finger towards Danny and the mist, as if knowing what was being commanded of it, wafted over to Danny of its own volition and enveloped him.

Danny felt many strange sensations at once. The first was feeling as if someone had dumped one hundred gallons of freezing water over him and then stuck him in a blizzard. The next he sensation was warming up and on a strange feeling, examined his hands and saw miniature arcs of electricty zapping between them. Then he began to feel unbearably hot, as if he was back in the desert but wearing full winter gear. Suddenly his body regulated itself and he began to sense all sorts of things around him.

He realized that at some point he had closed his eyes and opened them again. This time, when he saw Rogo, he saw a figure outlined in a faint blue halo effect and he was visibly exhausted. A loud bang got his attention and he felt rather than saw multiple angry red auras coming towards his cell. He glanced to Rogo.

"Now what?" The ape shook his head as if trying to get rid of a headache and glanced to him.

"I have no idea. There hasn't been a Forger recorded since the Malefor's corruption. Any stories about them are mere speculation and myth. Still, I fear we are discovered so, if I were you, I would figure out how to use your powers and fast."

At that moment, a faint glow came from the side of the room. As Danny's eyes focused, the glow slowly expanded and became square-shaped. Then, the glow vanished and in its place a large, leather-bound book with a gold-embossed crest, a book and hammer, floated seemingly of its own accord. As Danny approached the Book, it opened, and a ghostly quill pen appeared and started writing something down.

 _'Greetings Daniel Foster. I have heard so much about you from your brother.'_ Danny glanced back to Rogo and then back to the Book.

"What are you?" The quill started again.

 _'I am a magical tome created for the sole purpose of listing, assisting, and protecting the secrets, devices, and identities of those who use Forge magic. As of today, there are only two Forgers, you and Neal. As is such, although I am two seperate intities, and am essentially one book. What Neal has transcribed for his use, I have now made available for you. I am also able to send messages between my two copies. Do you have anything you'd like to send him?'_

Danny thought for a minute, then smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, tell him I was being held in a place called Darkfort but that I got tired of waiting for him so I decided to bust myself out. Not to sound ungrateful, but I figure, we both have roles to play. His is with the dragons, mine is elsewhere." The quill scratched for a moment and then tapped patiently.

 _'Message sent. Now then, would you like to create something? Be aware that as this is an emergency situation, you are allowed limited use of your brother's mana. He is a senior Forger and has expanded his limits by leaps and bounds. This access is a one-shot. Once you are no longer in danger, you will still have access to your brother's designs but his mana is off-limits unless explicitly ordered by him.'_ Danny nodded.

"Well then, hang on. Rogo, are we in a tower or what?" Rogo glanced to him.

"We're in a special part of the fortress that's on ground level but reinforced to deal with a dragon attack." Danny then turned to the Book.

"Tell me, are there any limits to what I can do?" The quill started.

 _'Indeed. Substances that contain plastic or other types of hydrocarbons are not possible to Forge. However, as Neal has discovered, a substance known as 'leaded gasoline' has enough lead in it to be exempt from that. Neal has transcribed multiple devices that may be of some use.'_ Danny nodded and then a smile came to his face.

"I need a weapon."


	18. Rolling Thunder

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 17: Rolling Thunder

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(In Warfang...)

Neal had stopped work when he saw Ignitus appear in a flash of light. Of course, nearly everyone in the area had seen the flash and turned to face a dragon that, as far as Neal remembered, everyone thought was dead. Almost immediately it was as if time froze for a few moments and then miraculously resumed albeit with a rather humerous occurence.

A loud 'thump' got the crowd's attention and immediately Neal realized that one of the fire dragons had fainted. Spyro came forward to see Ignitus but the Chronicler gave the barest of head shakes meaning 'not now, later'. Several larger adult dragons began to cluster around Ignitus but he was a dragon on a mission and froze time again to move past them and then unfreeze it near the construction site. Immediately he began scanning the building for Neal and as soon as Ignitus caught sight of him he rushed over, a red leather bound book suddenly materializing beside him, an expression of panic on his face.

What happened next had completely turned Neal's life upside down, looped it around and then scrambled what was left.

His brother was _ALIVE_.

He immediately paled and looked as if ready to collapse except that both Skylar and Fenrir were there to keep him standing. After taking a moment to steady himself, Neal looked to Ignitus, still wane but coherent.

"Is it true? Ignitus... tell me." Ignitus nodded and motioned for the book to open in front of Neal. Using magic, Ingitus made the words come alive and create a visual interpretation of had happened to him.

He saw the mission his brother accomplished. He was the gauges beginning to go awry. He saw his brother's panicked expression as he tried to restart the A-10 and, upon that failing, trying to bail out. Then he saw the strands of convexity starting to engulf his brother as Gaul chastised the mage Goro to hurry and pull him out of the plane before he was lost.

Then, his brother's last coherent thought:

 _(Momma... Neal... I'm sorry... Father, if you're watching over them, please, give them strength...)_ Neal brushed some tears away that had started to form.

"Even at the end, when all seemed lost, he still thought of us..." Ignitus nodded sadly as Spyro came forward, his initial eagerness to see Ignitus overshadowed by the news he brought. Neal knew Spyro had to have hundreds of questions but for the moment, he had put them on hold.

"Ignitus... where is Neal's brother being held?" Ignitus sighed.

"I have no idea young dragon, but I would assume it to be one of the last ape bastions still intact after the war." One of the dragon guards nearby nodded.

"That means either Darkfort, Bony Island, or Dry Sands." Immediately, Neal turned to his Book.

"Show me a list of aircraft that I can Forge!" Ignitus immediately glanced to Neal.

"Surely you are not intending to fly off the handle like this, are you? You know he is alive, yes, but it is most likely a trap. From what I've learned of Forge magic, it takes a substancial amount of mana to awaken one's dormant abilities. Your brother was exposed to Convexity which is evil and would have made his abilities withdraw further out of reach. The mana I infused you with when I brought you here to save your life was good and neutral mana, thus allowing your abilities to surface." Neal nodded curtly.

"Ignitus, I know you saved my life and I'm grateful, but this is my _brother_ we're talking about. The last member of my family. I can't lose him again Ignitus, I can't. It would kill me to just sit around and do nothing." Ignitus sighed and nodded. Then, from the back of the crowd, a voice rose.

"Then why should you?" Neal turned to see Lyca coming out of the crowd, her face set in determination.

"We've all lost family to this war, and to the skirmishes after it. I say, if we have the ability to do so, let's send out scouts to see which places would likely hold a prisoner. Once we know where Neal's brother is, we can rescue him." A number of dragons, cheetahs, wolves, and moles Neal had befriended nodded their heads in unison as she spoke.

A dragon Neal recognized as Squall, the dragon he had saved after Lockjaw stabbed him, came forward, a loose bandage still on his neck. Squall glanced to the crowd and then to Neal. His voice still rasped as he spoke but he was clear enough for everyone to understand him.

"Neal saved my life when Lockjaw had nearly killed me. It's thanks to his quick healing skills that I am already back on duty, allbeit in a somewhat _limited_ capacity. If I were at full strength, you could count on me to go with you wherever your brother is held. As it stands however, you may just have to take Erz along in my place. No doubt if someone were to wake her and tell her what has happened, she'd be geared up in a heartbeat."

At that moment, Neal's Book glowed a bright silver light and the quill appeared.

 _'Another Forger has awakened.'_ Neal turned to Ignitus who was flipping through his brother's book and gasped.

"An ape mage named Rogo just infused him with enough mana to make his abilities surface." There were hisses from the dragons as they heard this and then the Book's quill tapped again.

 _'A message from your brother: Held captive in a place called Darkfort. It is a trap, do not come. Already planning escape. You have your path, I have mine. Good luck baby brother.'_ Neal turned to Ignitus.

"He's being held in Darkfort." At that moment, a cough came from nearby and the group turned to see a General Infernon standing there.

"It's a good thing I came when I did then. Their Royal Majesties have just requested a demonstration of your combat abilities. I have been ordered to assemble a wing to attack a target of great importance: Darkfort, and have requested that you be part of the force going there. Lord Ibikiir will accompany us as Their Majesty's eyes and ears. If you wish to rescue your brother, now may be the perfect time. Besides, we can hardly allow an ape sorcerer to influence your brother." Neal nodded.

"The sooner we get him away from those apes, the better." There was a nod of yes from all around as Neal looked to General Infernon.

"General, is there a wide and straight, level stretch of road that I can use?" Infernon nodded.

"Indeed but what for?" Neal smiled.

"I've got an idea just how to free my brother. If he's a Forger, then he can work on the ground, I'll work from the air." As the others whispered among themselves as to what he was about to do, he turned to his Book.

"Give me the specs and blueprints for the British Airco D.H.9A fighter-bomber."

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(In the Darkfort Prisons...)

Danny couldn't help but chuckle as the Book flipped through everything that had already been transcribed in it. As he searched for a suitable escape option, Rogo glanced at him curiously.

"What's so funny? I don't have an idea as to what human humor is but I highly doubt impending recapture, torture or execution would make anyone start laughing." Danny glanced at the old ape and shook his head.

"Sorry, it's just that my little brother was always such a history nut. Whenever he wasn't geeking out or fooling around when he was younger, he kept his nose in the history books. As you said, when I was little I always had the urge to take something apart and put it back together. Neal however took it a step further." Danny closed his eyes a moment, remembering fonder times.

"He was a complete... well... I guess you would call him a technophile. He would take something apart, study it, sketch the components, and then seek to put it back together _exactly_ as it was before and then from there he would study the diagram to see how it could be improved upon. Remember the bully's 1966 Corvette I mentioned earlier? It was in my brother's 'workshop' that entire week." Danny then chuckled again.

"That guy was _so_ pissed but then again because there was no actual damage to the car it was chalked up as a senior prank. I wonder if that guy ever did find the little 'addition' we made to the vehicle... In hindsight, he should have payed us because Neal gave the vehicle a tune-up, changed the oil, the brake fluid, the transmission fluid... hell, he did a full check of the vehicle and never recieved a dime for his hard work." Suddenly the Book stopped on a page and Danny's jaw fell.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me..."

There, on the page, was a layout for a classic 1966 Chevrolet Corvette. All metal construction. Danny quickly made a mental bookmark and then shook his head.

"Perfect for a clean getaway but I need something with a little more 'oomph'. If I were confident in my strength, I'd suggest a knockout fight but as we are probably, almost hopelessly outnumbered, I'd rather use a solution that would definately rate the term 'overkill'..." Suddenly, he snapped his fingers.

"Say, did my brother by any chance put a tank concept in here? Nothing big and blocky just something I can handle by myself."

Immediately the book flipped open to a index of armored vehicles. Immediately, he saw three that he knew he could make good use of: The French FT-17, the British Mark C, and the German LKII Cavalry Tank. He then looked to the Book.

"Can I alter any concepts? Uh... create something of my own design?" The quill started.

 _'It is allowed, however, you must have an understanding of what you intend to do.'_ Danny nodded.

"Alright, so. Escape. That means speed, plus firepower in case of a fighting retreat, armor to ward off attacks, and I guess big enough to force its way through the building and any obstructions... Perhaps big and blocky is the way to go after all. If that's the case, I need the body of the Mark C, plus a modified engine, the turret of the FT-17, and the cannon of the LKII... I think it's a 57mm cannon but then again conversion of imperial units to metric units was never my forté."

The Book quickly made the diagram of the modified tank appear.

 _'Will this be satisfactory?'_ Danny looked it over and then nodded.

"It's big enough to plow its way out of here and if it comes down to a fight, what the machineguns can't kill the cannon will. If they don't all run in panic first." He heard Rogo snort.

"Hardly. These apes are brain-washed by Malefor and Shadra and my Brother's doctrines. They won't run. Sure, they'll be stunned for a moment but after that they'll go on the attack. Plus, those grublins, they don't know fear. They just charge in clawing and ripping at whatever their master says to attack. I hope this 'tank' of yours can withstand their attacks." Danny smiled.

"It should. I've taken parts from the best tanks of the Great War and meshed them into a super tank. The British Mark C was the fastest Medium class tank on the field and was the size of the Mark IV, the FT-17 had the first fully revolving turret allowing to attack from any direction, and the LKII had one of the best quick-firing cannons of the war." Rogo nodded.

"So long as you know what you're doing. You're the Mechanise." Danny nodded and then turned to the Book.

"Alright. So, the million dollar question. How do I Forge something?" Rogo gave him a flat look and the Book started writing.

 _'Channel your mana into your mind and hands, focus on the design of what you want, and then choose the materials you wish to use. Please note that, unlike the simpler projects your brother has Forged in the past, this is a complex Forge meaning you normally will have to Forge each section seperately and then use a spell called a 'Finish Forge' to fit it together, but again, because this is a special situation, you may use your brother's mana to Forge the entire design at once.'_

Suddenly, Danny saw flashes before his eyes. He could see the outline of the tank before him and his and his brother's mana was flowing into the outline before him. Slowly but surely, the iron frame of the vehicle took shape. Then, the track and drive assembly came together, then the engine, the body, the turret equipment, the weapons. All of it quickly coming together. Danny brushed his hands and grinned to Rogo who stared in shock.

"By all the stories... I never thought I would be fortunate enough to witness Mechanise magic at work. Is this a sample of human technology?" Danny nodded.

"Yep. Tanks like these were created to break the stalemate of the First World War. For the most part they succeeded, although they did have some problems along the way. Tanks like this marked the beginning of modern warfare." Danny went to the side and opened the hatch and the Book flew it without hesitation. He then looked to Rogo.

"You coming or what?" Rogo smiled and came forward, clambering in the tank right behind Danny who shut the hatch and locked it as the old ape settled down and made himself comfortable. Well, as comfortable as one could get in a steel box.

Danny went to the engine, cycled the small primer three times to get some fuel into the combustion chambers, then he reached for the large crank and nodded.

"Best cover your ears. This engine is loud and the tank isn't exactly accoustic." Rogo chuckled.

"You've never had to hear my brother snore. I'm accustomed to harsh noises." Danny heard a banging noise and saw the red auras were outside the cell.

"Time's up." He put his strength into starting the tank, he turned the crank once, twice, and on the third, the engine caught, the fuel ignited, and the several series of pistons started moving up and down in a rythmic fashion. Suddenly, Danny got an idea and climbed up into the turret of the tank. He reached down, grabbed one of the 57mm shells, loaded it, and the rotated the turret to the door.

"Fire in the hole!"

He pressed his foot down on the pedal trigger and the door, as well as a good portion of the wall in front of him, disappeared in a cloud of dust and flames. Despite the ringing in his ears and the impressively colorful language Rogo was employing, he immediately leapt down into the body of the tank, grabbed both levers, and pushed them into the 'Forward' drive position and plowed through the remains of the wall and started rolling down the rediculously wide hallway.

He crowed in delight at the expressions of the flabbergasted apes as the heavy steel behemoth clanked along the stone floor. The grublins, true to what Rogo had said, mindlessly charged the tank expecting it to fall easily but were ground beneath the all metal machine as it slowly trudged through the castle.

After seeing several of their fellow apes run down by the machine, the majority of the apes started to hang back and devise a weakness in the , they reached the large double doors the tank plowed through the wooden entrance with almost embarrassing ease. As the sunlight spilled across the the view slit, Danny couldn't help but smile.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Elvis has left the building!" From behind him he heard Rogo cough.

"Who in the world is Elvis?" This made Danny laugh even harder much to Rogo's chagrin.

Glancing through the small viewports around the tank, Danny saw that Darkfort was surrounded by a massive field and an even bigger wall of black onyx, a natural barrier that had only one opening. A keep that squatted squarely in the middle of the gap with a large stone and metal viaduct-type bridge above it with several large 'decks' supported by heavy chains and anchors in the surrounding onyx.

And on these decks was all manner of large weapons. Catapults, arbalests, trebuchets, even cannons. And furthermore, they were lined with warriors.


	19. Two Sides, Same Coin Pt 1

Hi everyone, I'm back yet again with a shiny new chapter, fresh from the factory. Summer is here, my nephews are out of school, the temperature is going higher, and my house is perpetually humming with the sound of window-mounted air conditioners, box fans, and everything else under to sun designed to reduce the heat and humidity in Louisiana.

It makes things easier on my parents as they can't really cope with the heat anymore so I can put up with the noise.

Plus I tend to be hot natured so the cool is refreshing to say the least. I mean, when you're cold, you can just pile on the clothes but when you're hot, there's only so much you can remove before you're down to your birthday suit.

On to something else, I just planted some peach seeds in the backyard. Hopefully, these will fare better than the bananna trees I planted last year. But just to be on the safe side I'm planting little 'flags' around them so that my brother watches where he mows the grass.

Anyway, it's time to get on with the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 18: Two Sides, Same Coin Pt.1

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As Danny was beginning his escape from Darkfort, back in Warfang, Neal stood before a long stretch of packed earth that General Infernon had some earth dragons create to Neal's specifications. Nearby, the General and several squads of dragons were assembled and they were going over what Neal supposed was a briefing. As he looked on, he saw Skylar, Lyca, Domino, and Rivet approach out of the corner of his eye. Almost instinctively, he lowered himself and embraced the two little dragons as they ran up to him. He could tell that they had both been crying and were obviously worried.

"I suppose the two of you would prefer I didn't go." Domino gave a slight nod.

"You don't have to prove anything to us. You cared more for my brother and I than anyone other than our parents. We... We lost them in the war and we don't want to lose you fighting the same enemy." Neal gave her a nod and tightened his embrace before releasing the dragonets.

A chuckle got his attention and he turned to see Terra and her group standing nearby with General Infernon who was also clad in battle armor. Beside them also stood Lord Ibikiir as well as Kaviri who stood by with knowing expressions. Neal gazed at them and then turned back to gaze at Domino and Rivet's faces and smiled.

"I can't count the times I deployed and watched as my shipmates who were parents say farewell to their wives and children. It's one thing to see it happen and another entirely to be the object of such a send-off." Kaviri nodded.

"Having young ones to look after, even if they aren't related by blood, it puts a lot of things in perspective doesn't it?" Neal nodded.

"I can understand how some of my old shipmates: Miles, Stennis, Andrews, felt when they were saying farewell to their families on the docks. You feel... torn... You don't want to leave them but at the same time your duty is clear and you know that you must...

He glanced back at the two little ones and, having an idea, began generating a small amount of mana in his hand.

In his hand, he produced two small medallions and handed one to each of them. The metal was bronze, inlaid with the crest of the Navy, the eagle, shield, and crossed anchors, but there was also words etched around the emblem:

 _Be Not Afraid, For I Am With Thee, Always._

"These are copies of a medallion my Father made and gave to me. He said that as long as I held that medallion, I could feel as if he was right there with me. I now say the same to the two of you. Keep these medallions close to you. No matter where I am or where I'm going, I'll always be here with the two of you." Neal suddenly felt Rivet push forward and rub his head against him. Neal gave a dramatic sigh and embraced the two young ones again.

There was a sharp cough from behind the group and they turned to see a rather irate Captain Magma standing there in full armor looking rather impatient to be going. The adult dragons gave Magma a sharp look and Neal heaved a heavy sigh.

"The time for goodbyes is gone, the time to sail has come." Neal rose and motioned for the two little dragons to step back as he channeled his mana again. The Book appeared next to him, open to the blueprints for the Airco D.H.9A fighter-bomber. A loud bell tolled for Neal alone and he glanced to see his mana drop drastically. When he glanced at the Book, it started writing.

 _'Your brother has used some of your mana to Forge a machine the likes of which I have no record of. He altered three different designs to create a machine specialized for one singular purpose.'_ Neal immediately halted the Forge.

"What did he create?"

The Book flipped to the tank Danny had created. Neal took one look at it and swore vehemontly.

"What the hell is that idiot thinking?! He's only one man, a tank that size requires, at least, a crew of six to function properly. There's no way he can crew a tank all alone." He returned to the Forge he had been working on and in a flash of light, the biplane he had wanted was now before him. He turned to Infernon with a worried expression.

"I fear my brother may have acted a bit rashly. He's created a machine that he would, at best, have difficulty controlling alone. If he has to run, he will be unable to fight back. On the other hand, if he has to fight back, he has to stop moving which makes him an easy target." Infernon nodded sharply.

"Then we have no time to lose. Get into the air Neal, we will be following shortly." Magma coughed nervously.

"General, perhaps we should get airborne first before the human?" Neal chuckled.

"What's the matter Magma? Afraid I'll just fly off and leave you behind?" The fire dragon growled angrily.

"No I just don't want to take the risk you may decide to turn that weapon on us and then join your brother." Immediately, he realized what he had said and then gazed at Infernon and Ibikiir and lowered his aggressive stance. Immediately Kaviri growled and glanced to Infernon.

"General, may I suggest leaving Magma here? It's almost _painfully_ obvious that no matter what Neal says or does in the upcoming battle, his opinion will still be negative." Magma immediately wanted to protest but Neal shook his head and raised his hand.

"While Magma's opinion may indeed be negative, this action is as much to prove myself as it is to rescue my brother. An old friend of mine once said 'Let my critics be the first people to see what I do and let them draw their conclusions as to whether or not I am worth of their attention'." Ibikiir smiled and nodded.

"Well said. In any case, the fact remains Neal _must_ take off first because he probably doesn't want to be dodging dragons in the air while we're getting into formation. Besides, I'm not the only one who wants to see this human machine in action." He turned to Neal with a smile and nodded.

"Get in the air Neal. We'll wait until you're airborne before we take flight." Neal nodded and climbed into the cockpit of the biplane and gave another glance to Domino and Rivet who still stood beside Skylar who was busy talking to another cheetah. Not seeing Lyca, he guessed she had gone back to the Tavern.

He checked the engine first and then ensured the fuel valve was open and then glanced around and in front over the cowling.

"Propellor is clear. Contact!" He flipped two switches and flipped a third. The sound of metal on metal echoed from under the long hood cowling. The pistons that stuck out from the top began a rhythmic motion. The propellor shaft and the propellor itself started turning, once, twice, but then suddenly stopped and the engine died. Neal gritted his teeth and bit back a curse and reset the switches.

"Alright, reset! Propellor clear! Contact!"

He rapidly flipped the two ignition switches and then all but slapped the starter switch. This time the engine came alive all at once coughing and sputtering. The exhaust pipes rattled as the engine backfired, coughing out little tongues of flame with every blast. Neal glanced at the throttle and hastily moved the lever forward from the 'choke' position to 'power'. Immediately the sputtering stopped, the engine rhythm evened out, and the propellor was a mere blur in front of the aircraft as he glanced back and waved to Infernon and Ibikiir.

Pushing the throttle all the way forward, the low growl turned to a loud whine and the DH9A rolled down the packed earth runway. When he was certain he had picked up enough speed, Neal pulled back on the stick. The wind caught the wings of the biplane, the support cables creaked and groaned and the aircraft slowly lifted upwards into the air.

Glancing down at the dragons as he circled he noticed General Infernon motioning with his wing to the northeast and then turned to his force to take off as well as Neal circled. Suddenly, he heard a thump from behind him. Worried something had happened, he turned back and came face to face with Lyca who was blushing even through her red fur.

"Lyca? What in blazes-?" Lyca gave him a smile.

"I saw in your Book that this machine had two seats. I thought I'd tag along and meet your brother." Neal sighed.

"It's not like going to a nearby town and saying 'hi how are you'. He is in danger." Lyca frowned.

"I know, and in case you forgot, I am an experienced fighter. I know how to fight." Neal sighed.

"Not from a plane you don't. I'll admit, this aircraft is a few generations older than what even _I'm_ used to but the basics are the same." Lyca glanced at him with a blank expression.

"Then what was this seat for?"

"The D.H.9A was a fighter bomber but also acted as an observer, interceptor, escort, and many other jobs. The second seat was for an soldier who acted as observer, bombadier, and tailgunner. I can't land and then take off again so you're with me for the duration." Lyca gave a wolfish grin.

"Very well. Tell me what you need me to do." Neal sighed.

"Nothing for the moment. But when we reach Darkfort, just stay low and hang on with all your strength." Lyca's smile turned to a grimace.

"You mean you want me to just stay down and do nothing? Sorry flyboy but wolves don't sit and stay. We take action and damn the consequences." Neal immediately frowned and clamped the flight stick in the neutral position and turned to face Lyca.

However, he hadn't known that Lyca had been facing him and had leaned foward when she spoke.

He suddenly felt a shock like ice water run down his spine and he was staring into her bright yellow eyes and felt a pressure against his mouth. He saw Lyca's eyes go wide with shock and she slid back away from him, an even brighter blush across her face. Neal gave a nervous cough and a shy grin.

"That was... unexpected... I... I'm sorry Lyca. I didn't mean-" Lyca recovered and shook her head.

"No it's my fault. I shouldn't have climbed in the rear seat. I just... Skylar has been telling me eveything he's learned about humans from you and your Book and I wanted to see for myself..." Neal nodded.

"No I didn't mean to snap at you... it's just that... You and Rivet and Domino and Skylar and Flame... I'm starting to care for you guys a lot. In the span of a few days I've gone from being a newcomer to a world I've just barely begun to understand to a single parent with two kids to look after. Have you... have you ever had anyone in your life you'd be willing to risk everything to protect?" Lyca gave a small smile.

"You mean like a boyfriend? No. But I _did_ have a brother, years ago. He was captured by the apes before Malefor cursed them. From what I was able to learn, he was held in Darkfort. That's why I-" Neal nodded.

"You want to learn his fate. I can understand that. Alright then. Lyca, time for some Gunnery 101. The weapon beside you is a British Maxim .303 Aerial Machinegun. It is belt-fed, air cooled, and is mounted to a special swivel that can allow you to fire in a complete 360 degree arc of fire. It can also fire above and below the aircraft. There is also a box beside you filled with hand-dropped five pound bombs. Just pick one up, pull the pin, and drop it on anything that looks hostile." Lyca nodded to him and grabbed the machinegun.

"Sounds simple enough. So, what do we do until we arrive?" Neal chuckled.

"Just relax, enjoy the flight. Maybe talk." Lyca smiled and pushed back up behind Neal, her ears twitching to listen to him.

"Just so you know... I'd actually like to experience that kiss again. Once we're safely back on the ground, I mean." Neal gave a sideways glance to her.

"You mean, you like me? I mean _like_ like me?" Lyca turned around in the seat, her muzzle next to his ear, slid her arms around him and chuckled as he tensed when she pressed her chest forward onto his back.

"I said the moment I saw you that you were easy on the eyes. What you've done only makes me like you more. Still, I don't know how human females act but... if you like me like how I like you, well, you're going to have to work at it. Show me a little bit more about yourself." Neal chuckled at her touch and smiled.

"So, does that mean I have permission to court you?" Lyca brushed her hand through his hair and gave him a small nuzzle.

"Since I'm my own woman, that counts as a yes." Neal's smile widened and then felt Lyca's embrace tighten and gave a nervous cough.

"Lyca, as you said we should finish this later. Preferably when I'm not currently flying a machine that technically by human standards is over one-hundred years old."

Lyca's laugh filled the sky as she turned back around to her seat and the dragons, who by this time had finished getting into flight formation, formed a multi-hued force that angled in the direction of Darkfort.

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(on the field outside of Darkfort)

Danny had been forced to keep the tank moving so that he could evade the angry apes and maddened grublins that were constantly running after him. At the time he had created the tank he had thought he would have had enough time to switch seats to both attack and run but the opposite was the truth. With the Keep and several bridges ahead of him, Darkfort behind him, and surrounded on all sides by menacing black onyx spires, he had no clear escape route.

As the tank flattened yet another simple wooden barricade some apes had hastily erected, the echo of an explosion rattled the tank and a violet-azure smoke wafted through the viewport. Goro caught a whiff of it an snarled.

"I figured as much. Human, if you can help it, stay away from that keep gate until we come up with a plan to bust through. That smoke and violet hue is unique to weapons imbued with dark magic, specifically Convexity. I don't know how much armor this machine has but it would probably take, perhaps, three hits before the armor fails." Danny growled.

"First off, name's Danny, or Daniel, not 'human'. Secondly, with tanks, it all depends on where they hit us. The body of the tank can take hits and keep going, but the treads are exposed and weak. One hit, we can't move until I can get out there and fix it." Goro coughed.

"Likely the moment you exit this machine you'll be swarmed and, since you are now Awakened, most likely you will be taken before Malefor himself or, failing that, they'll rebait the trap to catch your brother." Danny chuckled.

"Knowing my brother like I do, he's likely already on his way here." Goro gave him a flat look.

"Blast it that's exactly what we _don't_ want happening! If Malefor gets _both_ of you, he'll win for sure." Danny shook his head.

"No he won't. Neal's too smart for that. I gave him the warning that it was a trap, that'll make him cautious. He'll be more keen to examine the situation, find the flaws, and then exploit them. You deal with hostile enemies the same way you deal with machines and bullies. Probe for weaknesses, exploit those weaknesses, and the battle is won." Goro coughed.

"You humans have some experience in such matters?" Danny nodded.

"Yeah, one account I remember was during the last days of the second World War in Europe. Three soldiers were out doing scouting for an advance force of the US Army when they rounded a curve and all but ran into the lead vehicle of an entire German armored force. One vehicle, three Americans. Against over one-hundred vehicles including tanks and artillery, and several thousand soldiers." Goro huffed from behind him and tried to channel some mana in an attempt to see how his mana was recovering.

"Sounds like a deathwish waiting to happen." Danny nodded.

"You'd think so; but, as I said: weakness, exploitation, victory. The weakness was that the German Army was in retreat, it was no secret the war was lost and several forces were surrendering en masse rather than give their lives for a lost cause. Most soldiers at that point in time were tired of fighting and wished to go home."

"Anyway, the Americans stop right in front of the German command car. After a moment of stunned silence, out of the German car steps a two-star general who walks with his aide to the American officer, a Major, and salutes him which is returned and he asks him why he's here. The American officer, steady as a rock, tells the General he's here to accept his surrender. Keep in mind this is three Americans against several thousand Germans." A slight magical flash and a curse came from Goro but then he huffed.

"Bold. Are all humans that gutsy? Or is it arrogance?"

"I was always told it was courage with perhaps a touch of fear. Only a fool walks onto a battlefield claiming to be unafraid. Every time I closed the lid on the canopy of whatever jet I was flying I felt like I was shutting the lid to my own coffin. Anyway, the German general looks behind him to his soldiers and then to the American and asks him if he's crazy."

"The American officer's reply was: No, not crazy, just sensible. The way I see it, behind me is several hundred thousand US Army Paratroops, soldiers, tanks, artillery and God knows what else and behind you is one million pissed-off Russians that are shooting anything in uniform and between the two, which do you think will be more likely to take German prisoners? The war is over. Let your men go home to rebuild their lives."

"Did it work?" Danny chuckled.

"Well, the German general went back to talk to his officers and confer and then returned to the Americans and drew his sidearm. Then, quick as a whip, he reversed the grip on the weapon and surrendered it to the American soldier. As one, the Germans dropped their weapons, climbed down from their vehicles, and fell in with the Americans as they returned to their base with the prisoners." Goro looked impressed.

"I take it such bravery is neither common nor uncommon." Danny shook his head.

"Human history is full of heroes. All across history, multiple countries, continents, religions, all have heroes. Some of the greatest heroes, both real and storied, have ballads sung of them even to this day. Sadly, once the people have been dead for a few centuries, the songs are either forgotten or they are blown so far out of proportion more complex minded people find the tales a little impossible to believe."

At that moment, an explosion off to Danny's left got his attention.

"Goro, were we the only prisoners in Darkfort?" The old ape shook his head.

"No. There were at least four others. A female rabbit. Two apes who were fighting over the aforementioned rabbit. Lastly a dragoness, one of those rare poison types if I recall. She was captured while on the hunt; said she's the daughter of a Matriarch. Why?"

"Because to my left I see a dragoness carrying a wounded rabbit and trying to fight back. She looks too small to carry the rabbit so she's grounded." Goro sighed.

"That's actually when dragons are at their most vulnerable when grounded. Though they would like to think otherwise. Apes can't fly so our best chance to fight them is when they are on the ground. What are you thinking?"

"That dragon and the rabbit will be killed if we don't give them a hand."

"What are you suggesting?"

"Come up here and keep a hold of these levers. They control the speed and direction of the tank. I'll man the turret and try to fight off those others and then bring the tank alongside them so that they can get in."

"How to I change directions?" Danny tapped the levers with his index fingers.

"To go right pull back on the right stick. To go left pull back on the left stick. To stop the tank entirely, pull both sticks back." Goro huffed.

"Sounds simple enough, but who ever heard of an ape saving a dragon? There's no guarrentee she won't turn her poison on the both of us."

"There's no guarrentee she _will_ either. When afraid, eight times out of ten people will make snap decisions. This tank is impervious to most attacks and she's just as likely to see it as a safe place as anything else. She's small enough that when I open the side she can just jump right in. It'll be a tight fit but then again tanks were never built for comfort in mind, they were built to do one thing, bring the fight to the enemy and crush all opposition."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Grab the levers, I'm going for some fresh air."

Goro had only the briefest moment to rise from his seat and move to the driver's position as Danny rose and moved to the rear where the large hatch was located. Taking a moment to glance out at where the dragoness and rabbit were, he unstrapped one of the machineguns in the tank hull and then opened the hatch, stuck the barrel into the face of the ape who was right in front of him, and pulled the trigger. The recoil of the machinegun made his weakened arms ache and the force of the powerful .303 rifle round made the weapon jump around wildly but he managed to keep it trained in one general direction as the tank closed with the two.

The dragoness stopped as she heard the report of the machinegun and saw the tank rumbling ever closer to her and her unconsious comrade. Danny figured he probably looked a sight, a human in a tattered flight uniform, with a chest-length beard and hair, just barely managing to heft the heavy weapon with which he was decimating all who approached with ill intent. The apes, surprised with the ferocity of the attack, shrank back with uncertainty and that gave Danny the window he needed.

Holding the machinegun with his left hand and ceasing fire, he pointed to the dragoness.

"Come on! We're getting out of here! Get in the tank! We're getting you out of here! Come on!"

The dragoness looked uncertain for the moment but then noticed the apes getting over their shock and realizing that the creature in the iron box was going to take their target away from them and began shrieking in fury and closing in on them. She gave one more glance to her comrade and then nodded and then bounded toawards the tank. Danny just barely stepped aside to avoid being plowed into as the dragoness leapt through the main hatch and then curled herself around and slammed into the opposite side, back first, and released the rabbit she had been clutching onto for dear life.

Danny then, quickly as he could, slammed the hatch, locked it, replaced the machinegun where it had been and looked to the dragoness.

"Are you alright?"

The dragoness snorted and righted herself and placed the injured rabbit on a sea and nodded. Then she spoke, her voice raspy as if she hadn't had a drink of water for a while.

"I'm fine but Bianca's hurt. By the Ancestors if I had been a better huntress I wouldn't have needed to go to her for help." Danny looked at her.

"I have a first aid kit around here somewhere if you don't mind me looking her over." The dragoness glanced at Danny, mistrust still in her eyes but hesitently nodded.

"Very well. I only say so because I'm a poison dragoness. I know about poisons and toxins but wounds are out of my experience. Fair warning though, you hurt her worse than she already is, I'll kill you, _slowly_ and _painfully_." Danny nodded.

"Thanks for the warning then." He found the kit and checked on the rabbit, Bianca, and started examining her.

"These wounds appear to be superficial but I'll clean and bandage them anyway. How did she come to be unconsious?" The dragoness shrugged.

"No idea. We were held in seperate cells until something plowed through the hall and loosened the doors enough for me to break through them and rescue her. Last I saw her she was awake and hurling spells at the apes." Danny nodded.

"What sort of spells?"

"Minor annoyances like having a perpetually itchy back, a continuous burning sensation on a random part of the body, and continually changing the fur color of her guards to drive them bonkers." Goro huffed from the driver's seat.

"Sounds like she exhausted her mana to such an extent she's comatose." The dragoness saw Goro and hissed angrily, a thick green fog gathering around her muzzle.

"An _ape?!_ " She then turned to Danny.

"You're in league with an _ape_?! What are you playing at?" Danny raised his hands.

"Nothing! He was in the same cell I was in and awakened my magic in return for breaking him free." The dragoness stopped.

"Magic? You don't just 'awaken' _magic_ , you have to be born with it or taught it over the course of many years. What are you exactly?" Danny nodded understandingly.

"Name's Daniel Foster, but you can call me Danny. I'm a human and something called a 'Forger'." The dragoness' eyes went wide.

"That's... impossible... there hasn't been a Forger in centuries... Well, except for that fluke Mother told me about a few days before I was captured. Someone named Neal." Danny smiled.

"That's my little brother. You see, I've been held here for roughly five years. According to Goro, as the elder brother it was assumed I had already awakened my powers but as it turns out you can't use dark magic to wake a Forger. So now Neal's the more powerful Forger and I just started." Danny went back to bandaging Bianca and then turned to the dragoness again.

"So, what's your name?" The dragoness lay down on the floor of the tank next to the warm engine and sighed.

"Darte. My name's Darte." Danny nodded.

"Is that short for anything? In human mythology, dragons often have incredibly long, hard to pronounce names and so settle with shorter ones when speaking with humans." Darte shook her head.

"No. It's just Darte. Nothing else... I... I haven't earned the right for a title..." Danny looked at her curiously.

"A title?" Darte nodded.

"You see... I'm a daughter of Matriarch Venomia... she's... well... for lack of a better term... she's the Queen of our species, the venom dragons." Danny's eyes widened in shock.

"So you're a Princess?" Darte shook her head.

"No. Not by a long shot. I'm... well... _different_. I don't want to become a Huntress of a Matriach like my Mother and siblings... I... I want to be like the heroes, Spyro and Cynder, going on adventures, fighting bad guys at every turn, then maybe fall in love with someone who means more to me than just genetic material. We venom dragons mate only when in heat and only with the absolute best of the best." Danny nodded.

"Sounds like the Amazons of Greece from human mythology." Darte looked to him.

"Amazons?"

"Female warriors of great strength and skill. It was said that the Amazons were the only mortal humans capable of matching the great hero Hercules." Darte nodded.

"That sounds about right, except that males are trained as soldiers while females are trained as hunters. The females only join males on the battlefield when times are plentiful or when it is neccessary. I mean, even if we did only answer to one Queen, I'm hardly the next in line for the crown." Danny nodded.

"How were you captured anyway?" Darte coughed nervously as she glanced at him and then sighed.

"My Mother. She heard of your brother and how he defeated a dragon known as Ripper a few days ago. She insisted on me accompanying her and her mate to Warfang and to try and... get to know him... But that's just it, I'm _NOT_ like her. I'm not like my sisters. I don't _want_ a 'champion' to court me every time I feel like it, I want... I want what the others dragons have, a mate that loves and respects me for who I am..." She cringed suddenly and gazed at Bianca.

"Besides... I'm almost ten years older than him. It would be like trying to seduce one of _my_ brothers. That's why, when Mother told me of her plan, I flew off in a huff and decided to go hunting to clear my mind and that's when I met Bianca who said she knew of a spellbook somewhere that contained a spell to change a dragon from one race to another." Danny looked to her curiously.

"You mean like becoming a fire-breathing dragon?" Darte nodded.

"Exactly! With that spell, I could become whatever element dragon I wanted! I would be free of my Mother's constant attempts of foisting potential 'champions' on me and choose my own fate! Did you know that each race of dragon has their own traditions and behaviors?" Danny shook his head and Darte blushed.

"Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know about that..."

Danny was about to reply when suddenly an explosion rocked the tank and Goro shouted.

"Daniel! I think they may have made some improvements to those cannons since I saw them last! That blast was too close for comfort and the grublins are swarming again!" Danny looked to Darte, then Bianca, and back to Darte.

"Watch over her, if she comes to, keep her safe." Darte looked to him.

"What are you going to do?" Danny smirked.

"The one thing the men in my family have always been good at: Praising the Lord and Raising Hell!" With that, Danny climbed up into the turret and Darte heard a cranking noise and watched in amazement as he spun around where he was standing.

"Fire in the hole!"

The report of the cannon in the turret was loud and it momentarily set Danny's ears to ringing as he dropped the spent shell and loaded a fresh one. The round had impacted a group of grublins who pulled a Houdini and disappeared with the explosion. Cranking the turret to the side, Danny then loaded the coaxial .303 Machinegun and fired, spraying another group with bullets and also kicking up a fair amount of dirt with the rounds that missed.

Suddenly thought, there was a roar and a large creature appeared and Goro cursed.

"It's a golem! Those blasted grublins called a golem!" Danny hurriedly pointed the main gun at the creature and fired the cannon. The shell arced towards it and exploded, tearing one of its arms off but it then picked the arm back up and green energy connected the arm back to the torso causing Goro to grunt again.

"That's new."

Danny hastily reloaded and then adjusted his aim just as the tank hit a rough spot and fired. Instead of striking the torso as the shell had been aimed, the shell instead struck the golem in the fork of the legs. To Danny's surprise, the creature roared in pain, dropped to its knees pounded the ground with its fists. He loaded and fired a follow up shell which took the golem's head clean off and the rest of the body crumbled to dust. Danny crowed happily.

"Yeah! Another one bites the dust!" Goro grunted from the front and then the tank stopped.

"Don't get too excited Daniel, take a look to the front." Danny spun the turret around.

"What are you talking about- Holy shit!"

Standing before the tank were eighteen golems, several hundred apes, more grublins, and even worse, one _very_ pissed off dragon. From what Danny could see, the dragon had blue scales edged in grey that was polished to an almost silver-like sheen. He was bigger than Darte, had four horns on his head, and most frightening of all, his eyes were a _very_ dark blue but have vibrant strikes of violet that seemed almost alive arcing in his eyes. Goro growled angrily upon recognizing the dragon.

"Axian..."


	20. Two Sides, Same Coin Pt 2

Okay, second part of the chapter. For those of you who are curious, it seemed to be getting long so I have to split it up.

I never thought though I'd finish not one but two chapters in Forge Summoner and one for World Fury. Well, that's got that checked off the list and now, I'm going to see Dunkirk.

Or rather I will if the theatre in Natchitoches picked it up.

Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 19: Two Sides, Same Coin Pt. 2

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Danny suddenly felt the tank lurch backwards as Goro pulled both levers back into the reverse position. Out of reflex he pulled the lever on the cannon which went off with a ' _BANG!_ '. The shell, to Danny's amazement, arced towards the dragon Goro said was named Axian. Axian though, ducked and the shell passed just over his head and impacted the onyx wall in the distance.

" _Human! Are you_ _ **trying**_ _to get us all killed?!"_ Danny coughed and lowered himself out of the turret.

"What the hell did you throw us in reverse like that Goro?! Who the hell is this Axian?!" Goro kept his grip on the levers and the tank kept going backwards.

"He's another dragon loyal to Malefor, _and_ he is Shadra's mate and her complete polar opposite! Shadra likes working from shadows and conniving, Axian prefers to get his claws bloody. He's an ice dragon who will not hesitate to gut anyone who gets in his, his mate's or his master's way! He is also a sadist!." Goro spared a moment to look back to him, face grim.

"We're caught between a rock and a hard place. Given the choice, I'd risk running towards the Keep that is keeping us from making a quick escape." Danny nodded.

"Get us angled towards the Keep, I'll get back on the cannon. Darte, how's Bianca?" The poison dragoness looked to him.

"She's okay, still unconscious but alive. Thanks to you." Danny gave a small smile as he climbed back up into the turret, his voice echoing slightly from within.

"Well both of you stay near the rear of the tank and hang on. We're going to try and break through the Keep."

Danny started to crank the turret but then paled as he saw Axian, the apes, and the grublins starting to chase after them.

"Shit! Change of plans Goro! That dragon and his goons are chasing us!" Goro groaned.

"Can't stop now, got another force of grublins coming from Darkfort. Now that Axian has arrived, the entire garrison is rallied." Danny sighed and checked the viewport again to sight the cannon. However, just as he dialed in the range, he saw a glint from the sky.

"Goro, how many dragons does Malefor have loyal to him?"

"Just Shadra and Axian as far as I know. Why?" Danny felt a surge of hope in his chest.

"There's a massive force of what looks to be twenty dragons coming towards us." There was silence.

"Twenty?" Danny looked down to Goro.

"Yeah?"

"That's not help. That's trouble."

At that moment though, the report of a pair of linked machineguns was heard and Danny could see bullets striking the horde of grublins as well as kicking up little poofs of dirt along the ground. A second later the guns went silent and an airplane engine sounded overhead. From below he heard Goro utter a startled oath.

"Baniker's bloomers! What _is_ that thing?!"

Danny risked opening the top hatch on the turret and sticking his head out and spotted an old WWI era biplane circling around for another strafing run and smiled as he ducked back in.

"That's Neal! My little brother!

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Neal circled about after the strafing run. The engine hummed beautifully, the guns worked without a problem, and the sheer feeling of the wind whistling past him was euphoric. He almost wished the plane had an open cowling so that he could see the inner workings of the engine as each cylinder rose and fell in sequence. Then again, nothing for him could compare to riding that adrenaline high, something that his calm existance as a cropduster had made him almost forget. He momentarily wondered why he had all but given up flight but the situation at hand pulled him back as an explosion below reached his ears and he saw the tank continuing its slow crawl of an advance.

It was good to see that his brother was still in one piece but at the same time he was worried at the sheer number of grublins, apes, and now another dragon pursuing the tank. However, almost at once he saw the strange dragon spread his wings, roar out a challenge, and take to the sky. A bell tolled loudly and urgently from the Keep and the bridges getting his attention and he frowned as he saw what was happening.

"Lyca, looks like you're about to get some practice bombing the enemy! I'm going to pass over that bridge with those weapons!" Lyca glanced back to him and then down to the bridge.

"Can those weapons reach us?" Neal shrugged.

"It's possible. Hitting a moving object like the plane with a cannonball or a bolt or a rock is more of a matter of luck. Either way, I'm going to fly a path directly over it so that they won't be able to bring the weapons to bear as quickly." He gazed along the bridge and a glint appeared in his eye.

"I'm not sure if that's what I _think_ it is but it looks like they're storing their explosive munitions close to the weapons for quick reload. Lyca, see that big pile of barrels there? Try and drop the bomb as close to it as you can." Lyca nodded and grabbed one of the small explosives beside her, pulled the pin like Neal had shown her earlier, and as the plane passed over the bridge, she released the small bomb. She then grabbed another, pulled the pin and dropped it as well.

The shockwave of the large primary explosion rattled the plane and nearly made Neal bite his tongue but then he let out a whoop as he turned to see multiple smaller explosions chain together with the first one as the bridge, now burning, slowly began to drop flaming debris on the lower bridges.

"Give it a moment and I'll bet that one explosion will bring down the whole defence."

Lyca gave him a nod but then her expression changed to one of shock and she pointed ahead of him. Neal turned and, swearing colorfully, pulled the flight stick hard right and just barely missed Axian's waiting talons. As he leveled out, a grating laugh filled the air.

"My mate was right! You _really_ are bold Forger! Bold... and foolish! Never in all my life could I have imagined someone bold or crazy enough to lead an assault on Darkfort! I'd be impressed, if I wasn't so angry at the moment! If Malefor didn't need your brother _and_ you, I'd rip his head off! Where does he get off firing a _cannon_ at _**me**_! _**ME!**_ " Neal chuckled.

"Sounds like something Danny would do. He always had that 'easily pisses people off' skill." Axian growled, his voice growing shrill.

"You're laughing at _me_?! Damn human! Malefor may need you alive, but he didn't say in how many pieces!" Axian flew straight at the DH9A again, this time though, Neal was ready and rolled in the opposite direction.

As Neal rolled away from Axian, Lyca pulled the charging lever on the machinegun and pulled the trigger, firing a burst at the irate corrupted ice dragon. Lyca's attack appeared to startle Axian and he veered away, presenting an opportunity for Neal to give chase.

And chase he did.

Neal did a quick wingover, getting in behind Axian, and let rip with the linked .303 machineguns in the nose. The bullets didn't appear to do any damage to Axian's body but the rounds _did_ rip through his wing webbing which made Axian screech. The evil dragon tried to roll away but Neal mimicked his movement, lined up the sights again and fired another burst. This time, he could see the rounds striking the scales on Axian's back. Some rounds hit the area where scales overlapped and ricocheted away, others struck scales full on and disintigrated in a shower of sparks.

Axian, now realizing that Neal's weapons had no effect on him other than causing some minor irritation, pulled a split S that would have broken most aircraft attempting that in half and brought his muzzle up towards the plane, convexity-tainted frost forming around his maw, an evil glint in his eyes. Neal twisted the stick to evade the attack but Axian fired and caught the tail section in the edge of the almost liquid frost, instantly coating most of the tail with ice. Neal swore as he tried to break the ice by wiggling the stick back and forth.

"Damn! That's some strong ice! Lyca, I may have to land to try and fix the tail!" Lyca nodded.

"We may not get the chance though, here comes Axian again!" Neal looked to her.

"Axian? That's his name?" Lyca nodded.

"He's Shadra's mate. He's the dragon who captured my brother all those years ago." Axian suddenly looped over and leveled alongside the plane.

"So, that wolf was your _brother_ , eh? Well then, I must say he was one foolish fighter. Truth be told I was willing to simply let him go. But then he had to insult my mate so I had to kill him." Lyca froze momentarily, her mouth moved but no sound came out. Axian laughed.

"Speechless, I see. Not to worry, my master only needs the Forger. _You_ I can kill. You should thank me for reuniting you with your brother!" He prepared to pull Lyca out of the plane.

Thinking quickly, Neal created the only weapon he could think of, an M1911, drew it, and fired point blank at Axian's face. The bullet struck Axian's muzzle, ricocheted up along his muzzle, and then struck him in the right eye, making him howl in pain and drop away from the plane. Dropping the pistol, Neal once again fought with the controls as the plane began to descend.

Down below he could see the apes and grublins in full retreat, apparently shocked at the withdrawal of Axian who was presently flying off to the west crying in pain. He also caught a glimpse of Danny's tank which was stopped at the moment and surrounded by dragons.

General Infernus, Kaviri, Ibikiir, and Magma were waiting around the tank while the others were making sure that the grublins and apes really were in retreat. After a few moments, the ice melted enough that Neal regained full control of the aircraft and brought it down gently near the dragons. Almost before he could get out of the plane though, Magma huffed.

"Well human, it seems that your brother isn't exactly the sociable type." Neal, still running on an adreneline high, sighed.

"Well what do you expect? Your tail is blocking the exit hatch! Kinda hard to speak through steel, if you catch my drift." Magma immediately gave Neal a venomous glare before stepping aside at the sound of Kaviri and Ibikiir's chuckling. Neal came forward and smiled slightly before knocking on the hatch.

"Anybody home?" There was a clicking sound from inside the tank and the hatch opened but Neal was confronted not with his brother's face but rather a right cross that sent him rolling backwards.

As Neal got back on his feet, he glanced and saw the dragons ready to attack and waved them off before glancing back at his brother who was climbing out of the tank. The brothers stared at each other for a moment and then Neal felt his left jaw starting to ache and inwardly cursed as his tongue ran over a tooth that had loosened in the gum.

"You sure have a funny way of saying hello after being dead for six years, _brother_." Danny frowned as he eyed his brother.

"Don't pass this off as _my_ fault. I thought you was one of those apes. You're damn sure ugly enough to pass as one. You're so damn ugly my eyes are starting to burn just looking at ya." Neal chuckled as he squared himself and then caught a glimpse of Danny's uncharacteristic facial hair.

"You're one to talk. Is that a beard or did you glue a shag carpet to your face?" Danny shrugged.

"Well you know, been chained to a wall for six years, nothing to do except grow a beard." Neal grimaced and sighed.

"Yeah, I guess so. Still, though, what's the big idea of slugging _me_ like that? _You're_ the one who went and vanished on Mom and me." Danny frowned.

"Not by choice. Granted though, you've earned a free swing. Go ahead, I won't move a muscle." As he said this Danny jutted out his chin and tapped it. Neal glanced at the others, made a show of thinkiing about it, but then sighed.

"Nah, you're my brother. I'm not going to hit you. I'm not going to hit you." Danny gave a slight grin.

"Like hell you're not." Neal shrugged and swung a punch that connected and knocked Danny back against the tank. The punch didn't do much to him but nevertheless Danny chuckled.

"Been watching a little too much of John Wayne haven't ya?" Neal burst out laughing which Danny joined in on for a moment but quickly recovered.

"You know me Danny, I always said those old westerns were the best. Give me a John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or Chuck Norris film over some of the other things that they make these days." His brother nodded.

"Yeah, you're right there. You still can't punch worth a damn though." Neal smiled.

"Wanna come a few steps closer and repeat that?" Danny rose, closed with his brother, then let out a guffaw and embraced him in the strongest hug he could muster.

"Hot damn brother, I missed you. All these years, you cannot imagine. One living hell of a nightmare. The same exact thing day after day. I... I can't tell you how many times I went insane and then regained it. Every day I felt as if I were still in that plane, feeling the pain of my body being ripped apart as I was being pulled from our world to this one." He then broke the hug and leveled a glance at his brother, expression growing stern and hard.

"Neal... why? Why did you come here? What happened to Mom? To... Laura...?" Neal froze. He knew that when he saw his brother he'd have to answer those questions.

He just didn't know how to say it.

"Danny... Mom... she died... two years ago." Danny seemed to go limp in front of him, his body losing strength and slumping to the ground against the tank. Neal gave a glance to the dragons who had respectfully averted their gazes. After a moment, Danny sighed then raised his gaze but to his brother.

"It was the cancer, wasn't it?" Neal nodded.

"It came on all of a sudden. One day she was fine and the next it just... exploded. Docs couldn't stop it and she refused radiation. She said she was ready. She wanted to see Dad... and you, again. She knew that I was going to be alright. It was quick and she wasn't in any pain." Danny nodded.

"Now for the easier question. Laura." Neal sighed and nodded.

"She took your death hard. Wound up falling for some guy she met in grief counciling. Same story, he lost his wife overseas and she had just lost you and something just clicked in between them. Last time I saw her, she was happily married with two kids and a set of twins eight months along." Danny nodded.

"What about you? Did you find anyone?" Neal shook his head.

"No. Never had time. Just bounced from relationship to relationship. Never got serious, never went by second base, never really lasted. Nothing felt... right, you know? After the accident I-" Danny stopped him.

"Accident? What accident?" Neal sighed and explained what had happened to him and Danny nodded understandingly.

"Seems our family is a magnet for bad things. What in the name of all that's holy did one of our ancestors do? Walk under a ladder after spilling salt? Break a mirror after tripping over a black cat? Turn a horsehoe upside down on Friday the Thirteenth? All of the above?" Neal shrugged.

"No idea. But Danny, I have to ask. What did you mean that I had my path and you had yours?" Danny glanced to the dragons.

"Are they safe to talk in front of?" Neal gave a small smile as Infernus and the others turned back to Danny.

"Yeah they're good. Well, Magma I have some doubts about but the others, yeah. So, speak up." Danny nodded.

"From what I learned, this Malefor only needs one of us, either you or me, to create something to free him and he wins. From what I've gathered that would be a _very_ bad thing. Turns out this ape mage named Rogo is trying to get the apes to side back with Malefor but his twin brother Goro wishes for peace. He says the apes are not recovered enough to risk war, especially not with dragons. They would become extinct. He wants me to help him persuade the apes against siding with Malefor." Infernus looked to Danny.

"Is this Goro the one who awakened your abilities?" Danny nodded.

"Yeah. He helped me. We've also got two others, a venom dragoness named Darte and a rabbit named Bianca." Immediately Magma growled.

"Where's the ape!" Danny immediately rose.

"Calm down pal, I don't care for that tone." Neal glanced to his brother.

"He's always like that in matters that I'm a part of." Danny looked to him and jabbed a thumb towards Magma, an incredulous expression on his face.

"What'd you do to piss _him_ off?" Neal shrugged.

"I showed up in this world." At that moment Darte came out, a smile on her face.

"Danny! Bianca's awake!" Danny gave a nod.

"Glad to hear." At that moment a tall female rabbit in a cape and cowl stepped out of the tank.

"Darte? Is this the one you said saved us?" Darte nodded.

"Yes Bianca. This is Danny and his brother. They saved us from Darkfort." Bianca glanced to them and nodded.

"Well then, as a reward, I will grant each of you one wish. If it is within my power to do so. I am not a genie but I _am_ a _very_ capable enchantress." Neal glanced at his brother.

"We each have our own paths. That's what you said isn't it?" Danny nodded, then Bianca smiled and nodded.

"Your wish, though unspoken, is to see if your paths both lead to the same goal. I have glimpsed through the mists of time and have this to say: If you go on your paths and do not stray, then yes, your goals will be the same." She faced Daniel, face calm but worry clouded her eyes.

"Daniel, yours is a path frought with peril, but you have a clear sight as to who your foes are. You will not question who is friend and who is foe for they will be obvious to you." She then sighed and turned to Neal, the worry in her eyes deepened.

"Neal, yours however, though likewise frought with peril but unlike your brother, you will be unable to discern friend from foe. Some who claim to be friends are foes and some foes will become friends. Know that today you have proven yourself to dragonkind as an ally and a friend, but be warned not all dragons are as friendly as they will appear to be. As for your request, likewise unspoken, it will be done." Danny suddenly saw some light beginning to form around him and looked to Neal.

"Brother?" Neal nodded.

"You said we have our own paths. Thanks to Bianca the doubts I have had are gone. Our paths eventually cross again but our goal is the same. Stopping Malefor, for good, and ensuring peace." Neal chuckled and the Book appeared.

"Besides, it's not as if we won't be able to communicate with each other. You need my help, just send me a message." Danny nodded.

"Likewise little brother. Heh, if only Mom and Dad could see us now, eh?" Neal nodded.

"They'd be overjoyed their sons are working together again." Danny looked to Darte, Bianca, and Goro who had appeared and likewise were glowing and then back to his brother and placed two fingers to his head in a salute and smiled.

"Adios amigo." Neal smiled.

"Till our paths cross again." The light flared once more and then Danny, Darte, Bianca, Goro, and the tank vanished. As Neal turned to head back to repair the plane, he was stopped by a furious Magma.

"What have you done?! _Human_?!"


	21. Venomia's Champion

Well everyone, here we are yet again with a new chapter. I don't know if it's the writer's block finally lifting, my sinuses clearing up, or the fact that a week after my tablet broke I got it fixed and I can now resume playing Fallout Shelter (among other things).

Anyway, back with another chapter of Forge Summoner.

You know something? I don't really say this often but reading ya'lls reviews is oftentimes the highlight of the day for me. I do hope you all will continue to do so, oh, and don't be afraid to letme know if I messed something up along the way. I like a streamlined story just as much as the rest of you.

For this chapter, we'll continue with Danny and the next we'll find out the verdict for Neal.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 20: Venomia's Champion

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At the moment the light flashed, Danny was hit by a strong westerly wind. The scent of flowers, clean spring water, and ripe fruit invaded his nose. He opened his eyes and glanced around and his jaw almost dropped as he beheld the breath taking sight. Almost immediately, a relieved sigh echoed from behind him and he saw Bianca and Darte stepping out into the field to take in the fresh air. Goro on the other hand, sneezed and coughed for a moment before straightening himself up and standing beside Danny, a small half-grin on his face.

"Not many, heck, none have ever escaped from Darkfort before. Much less escaped from the midst of a thunder of dragons. I'll tell you something, that enchantress, don't underestimate her. Many a fool has done that, underestimating a spellcaster, and didn't live to tell it." Bianca chuckled that she had heard him and turned.

"Rest assured Goro, I have no intention of using offensive magic if I can help it. I'm more partial to illusions, trickery, and healing. Now I do have _some_ offensive spells to use in times of need but they take time to prepare as you well know." Goro nodded and then gazed around the tank and sighed.

"So then, Bianca, was it? Where in the world are we?" Bianca smiled.

"The Golden Plains, on the far northern end of Avalar and just south of the Venom Dragon territory." Goro gave a small whistle.

"That's nearly one-hundred miles from Darkfort! Baniker's bloomers, that's an impressive feat of magic. One that even _I_ would have trouble casting." Danny glanced at him curiously.

"Seriously? You, the ape who awakened my abilities as a Forger, or rather a _Mechanise_ , would have trouble casting such a spell?" Goro nodded.

"Sadly aye. You see Danny boy, apes are not... well... we're not as ' _attuned_ ' to magic as some other races in this world. That's why we relied on our Mechanise so much in ancient times, before Malefor. Our strongest sorcerers and wizards could only cast spells after great effort and thus we began using magical items and relics to protect ourselves." The old ape glanced across the plains and sighed.

"Then, when the Mechanise magic left and Malefor rose, we feared for our existance. In our fear, we made a deal with the Dark Master. In exchange for power, we would serve him. Our last King, Gaul, doomed us when he failed to defeat Spyro and Cynder in the war and for it we were cursed. To be honest, I say we deserved it for what we did but once the curse was lifted, and clarity returned, I realized that we must never again become that afraid." Danny glanced to him and nodded.

"Fear is a powerful thing. Tyrants, dictators,have used it for centuries to control their subjects and project their will on those who defy them. The thing is, we have a saying: no matter how dark the night, the sun always rises'. Good will always rise up and overthrow evil. Human history is full of stories like those. Another saying is that 'fear is a double-edged sword, it cuts both ways'. People only will give into fear so much before it turns to anger and from anger to vengeance. Kingdoms and Empires have risen with fear but have also been felled in the wake of vengeance." Goro nodded.

"My people... they still fear but are too stubborn to admit it. They cover their fear with anger towards those they believed have wronged us. It is that anger that will lead us to extinction. That's why I awakened your abilities. A Mechanise can show us a new way to live, to thrive. It will take time, but eventually something must give." Danny glanced to him and then to the horizon.

"So, how much farther to that ape settlement you were telling me about?" Goro nodded.

"North a ways. We have to cross the Poisoned Forest, and then somehow gain passage on a ship across the North Sea, past the atlawa islands, past Pirate Cove, and then we reach the Isle of Mahn. That's where home is. Trouble is, between here and there we'll have to get some gems. Most merchants who aren't dragons deal in gold but with such a journey ahead of us, gems are a better option. They buy both goods, and silence." Danny nodded to him and then looked to Darte.

"So this is venom dragon territory? I have to ask, since you're with us they won't be aggressive?" Darte gave Danny a sheepish grin and shifted her weight from one side to the other.

"Well... remember how I said that I wanted to go my own way? I... sort of... blew up at Mom and then stormed out to hunt. Shortly after that I was captured. I doubt the other Matriarchs or the hunters would bother me but Mom's territory is technically the biggest so I suppose that would technically make her the Queen of all Venom Dragons..." Danny cringed.

"Okay so... avoid any venom dragons. How hard could that be?" Darte gave him a flat glance.

"You have no idea. Not a thing goes on in this forest that Mom doesn't hear about. Most likely a scout at the edge has already reported back to her by now and we have a short time before Mom's Champion arrives to 'escort' us to her." A chuckle arose from the nearby forest, drawing the group's attention.

"Very astute Darte. You certainly are Venomia's daughter." As he said this, a large red dragon with several criss-crossing scars came out of the woods flanked by four deep green and tan colored dragons and gave the group a smile.

"Well Darte, welcome home. As for the rest of you, welcome to Venom Dragon territory. My name is Ash, I am Matriarch Venomia's Champion. I have to say, it is a _pleasure_ to meet the lot of you. Matriach Venomia would like to _personally_ thank you for rescuing her daughter. She is _especially_ interested in meeting _you_ , Forger." Danny froze and eyed Ash warily.

"How did you know I was a Forger? For that matter, how did you learn of us so quickly?" Ash stared for a moment and then gave out a great laugh that echoed around them for miles and his body shook with each guffaw.

"How did we know? Do you _honestly_ think that spitting venom is the only thing these dragons can do? Darte, we learned of your capture thanks to Chlorix, one of the rare venom dragons who actually practices magic other than his element. We also learned from him that a Forger had rescued you. To say your Mother is glad of this occurence would be a _great_ understatement. She was beside herself when she learned of your capture, and even more so once she learned of your rescue." Darte frowned angrily.

"That may be so, but I'm _still_ not going along with that plan of hers! From what I've seen of Neal Foster, he already has someone interested in him." Danny chuckled.

"That may be so Darte, but Neal's never been quick on flirtation. Then again I _have_ been out of touch for half a decade so maybe he's changed, gotten more mature... heh, listen to myself I sound like an old man! He's probably still the same knucklehead he always was." Ash glanced to him and then chuckled.

"That may be so, but according to the rumor spreading through my sources, he bested a _very_ dangerous dragon known as Ripper. Sounds like he's the sort of person I would have enjoyed sparring against." Ash inwardly chuckled at himself, remembering that he, as Ripper, had indeed sparred with Neal and lost. In truth, he relished the chance to test his brother to see if his mettle was as strong.

He also realized, with some resignment, that Venomia was more interested in other aspects of the human. He then settled down and glanced at the tank.

"Alright Forger, dispel that mechanical monstrocity behind you and fall in with us. Don't worry, we'll protect you from the hazards of this place. No predator would dare come near these dragons and for that matter, the creatures in the jungle have learned to fear _me_." Danny chuckled.

"Fear is a two-edged sword, it-" Ash held up a talon.

"I heard you before, 'it cuts both ways'. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were more of a philosopher than a soldier." Danny chuckled.

"My Commander back in my world was the philosopher and former college teacher. Every chance he got he would share little nuggets of wisdom with us. Sometimes they were helpful, sometimes not as much." Ash chuckled.

"I know the feeling. My... my oldest friend was a lot like that..." He then huffed and glanced at Darte and scanned the group.

"So, are you coming or not? I trust that you would rather come peacefully than force us to take strenuous action?" Darte growled.

"As if Ash, the only thing that _you_ do that is 'strenuous' is change positions when you're 'admiring' the Matriarch!" Ash growled at her and faced her.

"Don't you take that tone with _me_ young lady! I may be only your progenitor instead of your father but I _will_ not tolerate such disrespect!" Darte, realizing she had overstepped, lowered her head and backed away sheepishly as Danny looked on.

"You're her _Father_?!" Ash chuckled.

"Yeah. I know, she takes after her Mother, right?" Danny glanced at Darte who gave him a flat glance which made him look away and then nod to Ash.

"Alright, we'll come freely." As he said this, he un-Forged the tank. Ash gave a smile and a nod and then motioned to the forest with a jerk of his head.

"Shall we go? Venomia is waiting." As he turned away, Danny could tell that Ash was pointedly ignoring Goro's presense. Given what he understood that dragons hated apes he guessed that this was as close to acknologing him as the ape wizard was going to get.

The group entered the woods and followed a well worn path that snaked its way through the dense undergrowth. After a while, Danny found himself walking alongside Ash who regarded him with an interested look. After a while Danny chuckled.

"What is my hair on fire?" Ash cocked his head to one side and Danny sighed.

"Sorry, I forgot that human expressions probably don't mean anything here in this world. It just means you keep staring at me as if something's wrong." Ash chuckled.

"I suppose so. I don't mean to but we dragons are a naturally curious race. Some races more so than others. I have to admit, I find it hard to believe that one so small as you could best a dragon, or any other being here for that matter." Danny chuckled.

"Yeah, well. Old human saying is that big things come in small packages. Then again there is another that when you put your mind to it you can accomplish anything." Ash nodded.

"I prefer the second one. The first sounds like the punch-line for a dirty joke." Both of them laughed at that and Danny nodded.

"It does doesn't it? I had a wingman, a guy I flew with, he couldn't go one hour without a dirty joke. Most of them were funny, more than a few though got him slapped in the face. He was good-natured but just didn't know when to shut up." Ash gave him a glance.

"You say 'was'?" Danny sighed.

"Yeah. He crashed while trying to land on the carrier when we were at sea. Her just couldn't get lift under the wings, tail caught the fan tail, jet exploded on deck." Ash gave him a solumn nod.

"I know what it's like to lose soldiers under your command. I know even more so what it's like to lose someone dear to you." This got Danny's attention and he decided to ask.

"Speaking of dear to you, how did you and Matriarch Venomia meet?" Ash was silent for a moment as he gazed through the forest canopy and sighed.

"It was about eighteen years ago. I was a Captain in the Warfang Guard, my group was sent to attack an ape stronghold near the poison. I was new, freshly promoted... I didn't want to go anywhere but at the same time I couldn't just sit idly by and do nothing... especially since... well..." Danny nodded.

"Someone you cared about was going, right?" Ash nodded.

"Her name was Helena. Fire dragoness, scales as bright as rubies, eyes that shown like the purest saphires, and a laugh, oh, a laugh that you just couldn't help but join in on, no matter what she was laughing at." Danny smiled.

"I know the type. A girl you just can't keep from looking at, who's every little move you can't help but follow with your eyes." Ash nodded.

"Yeah... she... she really was something... Anyway, we arrived at the rally point, didn't see any trace of apes... I kept replaying that night in my head over and over trying to figure out if I missed something or if I should have done something differently..." He sighed.

"Long story short, it was an ambush, we were attacked from six different directions. Somehow, Helena and I became seperated... I... I became focused soley on survival... I became oblivious to my wounds, pain seemed only to infuriate me, sharpen my focus. I became deaf and blind to what was happening around me. My comrades, dragons I led into battle, falling all around me, each one of them with a family. A mate... and children..."

"It wasn't until after the last enemy before me fell did I calm down and look around to see that I was the only survivor. Everyone, even Helena, lay scattered around me. She held on long enough for me to get to her but... Heh, it's funny in a way. I don't remember what happened after I found her. The next thing I clearly remember is collapsing just outside Venomia's village with Helena on my back." Danny glanced to him.

"I've heard of that. They say that soldiers who find comrades wounded on the battlefield zone out. I've heard of soldiers grabbing one, two, even three of their comrades and carrying them to safety before fatigue overwhelming them. I doubt you were any different." Ash nodded.

"Kind of you to say but, regardless, I wasn't quick enough. She bled out on my back. She... she told me... with her last breath... she loved me..." Ash took a breath to steady himself.

"After that, I was like a bezerker. I would engage in battle, using my claws, fire, tail with reckless abandon. I was oftentimes injured just as badly as those I attacked. It was actually after one such attack that I was met by Venomia. She said that she admired someone who showed such dedication and courage. Naturally my first reaction was aloofness. I wasn't fighting for a mate, for a child, I was fighting to satisfy my own bloodlust. The absolute _last_ thing I had on my mind was settling down and finding a mate... but... things changed..." Danny glanced at him curiously.

"You found her attractive?" Ash nodded.

"Yeah... not immediately... After our first encounter she started meeting with me when I would return from a raid. With every visit to me, she helped heal my injuries, she spoke to me, sometimes even stayed with me through the night. Nothing intimate though. Anyway, one day I came back and noticed a scent wafting through the village... It was when Venomia came to me and I realized what it was. She was in heat." Danny looked at him and then looked back to Darte and then back to him.

"I take it that Darte...?" Ash nodded.

"My instincts took over, one thing led to another, and, from what Venomia told me, Darte was the first, and only, female born from our first time. Poison dragons rely on males only when in heat so once her heat ended I went back to doing what I did best and didn't have any further contact with her until the war's end." Danny nodded and then remembered something.

"Ash, forgive me if I seem a little... personal... but did you and Helena-?" Ash leveled a glare at him and huffed, blowing a gust of hot air in Danny's face.

"You're right. That _was_ personal, and I will kindly thank you not to mention it again. Helena and I were... friends... really _close_ friends." Danny realized he probably meant 'friend with benefits' but he felt that he was leaving something out but for the sake of civility he dropped the matter. After a moment though, he spoke to Ash again.

"So, you fought in the war. From what I've heard it was a regular horror story but, then again, all war is a horror story." Ash gave him a glance and nodded.

"Yeah. It was. I understand you were a soldier yourself?" Danny nodded.

"Combat pilot actually but, I guess the only difference is that I fight from the air rather than the ground." Ash gave him an approving nod.

"Indeed. A dragon's greatest strength is our ability to fly. I suppose you used some sort of machine similar to that iron box?" Danny chuckled.

"Nope, not even close. I was in the Navy. I flew F-35 Strike fighters off a carrier, and when I went inland I flew whatever was assigned to me, mostly A-10 Warthogs, F-22 Raptors, and even an F-117 Stealth Bomber. To be honest though, nothing land-based could match the thrill of a carrier takeoff." Ash smiled.

"Care to describe it?" Danny nodded.

"Okay, imaging yourself on a ship at sea. The flight deck is almost a mile long yet the majority of it is used to receive landing aircraft. The F-35 has two ways of getting airborne. The first is to use a central turbine to take off vertically in the air but that is less... energetic. The other way is that, the jet is attached to a steam-driven device called a catapult... no, not the one you're thinking of. Anyway, you rev the engine to full power, take your hands off the control gear, nod to the shooter who releases the clamp and the jet goes flying off the deck at roughly five-hundred plus miles per hour." Ash gave him a flat glance.

"There's no way anything can fly that fast. It would rip itself to pieces." Danny chuckled.

"Once upon a time that was true but human technology is greatly advanced from that time. Five hundred is just the takeoff speed though, for the first few moments, you're glued to the back of your seat by the acceleration. Then, as your body gets used to it and you can peel yourself from the seat to retake control, you slam the throttle wide open, pull back on the controls and climb to fifteen thousand feet and then you're off on a mission flying faster than the speed of sound."

"Faster than sound?" Danny nodded.

"Faster than sound. You see, the engines push the jet through the air so quickly, air cannot get out of the way fast enough and forms what we call the 'sound barrier'. When an aircraft accelerates even further it 'breaks' the sound barrier and creates what is known as a sonic boom." Ash smiled.

"Sounds like one heck of a ride."

"Yep. Nothing else like it. Heh, carrier landings I could do without though. Basically you try to land on the same small speck of a ship in the middle of the ocean, nothing but water as far as the eye can see, and the moment you land a device called a tail hook catches a cable and you suddenly decelerate from one-hundred miles per hour to zero in the blink of an eye. It's fun as hell, don't get me wrong but the straps that hold you in the seat hurt like hell after a few such landings."

"Sounds rough. Still though, not as bracing as I've had it." He leaned closer to show Danny a scar that ran over his right eye.

"Once on a raid, got cut deep by a sword over that eye. Blood splashed both eyes and I was forced to finish the raid, make the return flight to the village, and land, blind in both eyes. Top that." Danny smiled, a memory coming to mind.

"Okay then, night time, just finished an attack. Storm blows in just as I'm within sight of the carrier. Deck is heaving in fifteen foot swells, dropping fifteen, maybe twenty with every lull and rising twenty or thirty feet with every swell. Cross wind is brutal, west one moment, then east. Turbulence is hell, every gust of wind feels like I'm being blown six feet in any direction in any given time. On top of that, last minute, the radio goes out, the landing lights go out, I have to make a landing in pitch darkness and can't correct except by instinct and sight." Ash gave a wry smile and chuckled softly.

"Obviously you made it safely." Danny nodded and nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Wasn't exactly the smoothest landing though. Just as I touched down, the deck rose, crushed the landing gear and the tail hook. The jet skidded down the deck, stopping just eight feet short from going off the opposite end. Best part is, even though it wasn't my fault, Captain gave _me_ an ear full for marking up his deck and ruining a perfectly good aircraft!" Ash's chuckling grew a little louder.

"That's usually how it works. Accident happens and the lower ranks are the ones who get their tails handed to them. Okay, I'll admit _that_ was impressive. Still though, you don't have a scar to show for it." Danny laughed loudly this time, actually drawing some looks from the dragons walking alongside him.

"No I don't, but I _was_ walking bow-legged for a few days. When the landing gear gave way the flight controls flew backwards and dman near neutered me. I was singing soprano for the better part of the week." Ash grimaced as he heard this and gave a good-natured laugh.

"Okay, I concede, you win this round. Now then, I believe we are here."

Danny turned as he said this and stared as he stood before a massive wrought iron gate that slowly began creaking open. As it opened it revealed a large dragoness and several others beside her. When the gate was fully opened, Ash stepped through first and nuzzled the female and then turned to face the group.

"My dear, allow me to introduce to you Daniel Foster, the Forger who saved Darte from Darkfort. Venomia gave a glance to Darte and breathed what seemed to Danny to be a sigh of relief and then turned a genuine smile to him.

"Hello Forger. Welcome to Greymarsh, my city, my home."


	22. A Night in Greymarsh

Okay, things are finally getting back to their previous pace. Wide awake (thanks to a pack of Reeses and a Pepsi... sugar high XD) Whoo... anyway, pardon the pause just had to pop my knuckles to loosen the joints and now here we go!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 21: A Night In Greymarsh

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Danny paced back and forth nervously in the hut as the sun dropped down below the horizon and slowly the twilight of evening faded to the dark of night. In no time at all since first entering Greymarsh, Danny and the others had been separated, given different quarters, and two dragons posted as guards.

It wasn't imprisonment per say, Danny saw the others when Venomia invited them all for lunch that day, the food was interesting, although the only conversation was Venomia asking them all some rather tactful questions about what they were going to do now that Darkfort was behind them, and then she turned her attention to Darte and asked a few more questions that made her seem, to Danny's eye, uncomfortable. Still, he couldn't help but feel tense despite the fact that he was free to leave the hut and visit whomever he wished so long as he was escorted.

Finally, after a moment, he sat down at a desk that had been provided for him and summoned the Book and started looking through the designs. After a while, the quill appeared and started writing on its own accord.

 _'Something you are looking for in particular?'_ Danny shook his head.

"Not really, just that now that I have a chance to figure things out, I'd like to get a feel for what is asked of me as a Forger and what precisely my limits are. I mean, am I limited in size and scale? How much mana I use in a day? My brother probably has his limits down pat but I have been chained to a wall for half a decade and... and..." The quill wrote softly.

 _'Your body is not as strong as it once was.'_ Danny nodded.

"I only just recently started feeling exhaustion since the escape is over and done with. I feel as if I just ran six miles with a full field pack under a blazing sun in full winter gear in under an hour. I have little doubt that a good night's rest might help but what am I going to do about myself? How the hell can I be a Forger people need if I'm too damn weak to create anything larger than a butterknife on my own?" He flexed his left hand and grimaced angrily.

"I created a _tank_ with my brother's mana. On my own I can barely manage much. How much stronger is he than I?" The Book tapped thoughtfully.

 _'In this you have an advantage. While Neal had to learn his limits on the fly, you have your brother to work from as a template. In essence, you have a set of... training (wheels?) to help guide your way. Do what your brother did. Start small, work your way forward and while you're strengthening your mana reserves, use the time to improve your physical health as well.'_ Danny looked to the Book and then chuckled.

"Yeah. I suppose so. Still, how do I expand my mana reserves?"

"The same way magicians, wizards, and enchanters do, sheer concentration." Danny wheeled around to see Bianca standing in the doorway, staff in hand and smiling as she approached.

"Sorry for the intrusion but I figured you may make use of this." She produced a gold chain with what looked to be a pocketwatch dangling from it but once Danny saw it, he saw that the face was colored and had four hands.

"I saw that your brother had a device that measured his mana and, using my knowledge, managed to create a similar device with a similar enchantment. All you have to do is Forge something to estimate your mana limits. Once that is done, I will begin assisting you with increasing your mana." Danny nodded and then sighed.

"Alright so, any idea what to Forge?" The Book slowly flipped pages and then stopped on one.

 _'Since you wish to Forge something to test, how about something rather... utilitarian? Your brother Forged this boot knife a few days ago.'_ Danny looked at the design and chuckled.

"That's the knife I gave him for graduating high school when I was on leave... That happened... roughly about two weeks before I was pulled into this world. Nice to see he still remembered enough to Forge it." Danny rubbed his hands together like a magician about to pull a rabbit out of a hat and sighed, focusing on a point on the floor and thinking of the design.

After a moment, the spot on the floor glowed for a moment and then a small six-inch utility boot knife had appeared on the floor. As soon as the glow disipated, Danny heard a small chime and glanced to his pocketwatch to see the third hand drop to a small hashmark in between the twelve and eleven. Bianca glanced to the watch and nodded.

"So a small six inch blade with a six inch handle and scabbard uses roughly one-thirtieth of your overall mana. Not bad, but considering how inexperienced you are with magic meaning your mana count is low, it's not good either. Under normal conditions, you would be an apprentice and I would require at least a month to have you build up your mana to what I would consider a respectable level." Danny nodded.

"Well that's not that bad, right?" Bianca sighed.

"Considering your condition, no, I was honestly afraid you had even less mana than you do but, when compared to those naturally attuned to magic like dragons, or experienced wizards and enchanters, it is almost laughable. You have less magical potential now than a dragonet fresh from the egg." Danny shrugged before flipping the knife to examine it closer.

"Well, on the bright side I can at least create something to defend myself and others with. It'll just take a while for me to be able to create anything else." Bianca sighed.

"Indeed. Unfortunately, remember, the only way to get to the ape settlement Goro was speaking of is across the sea and that requires a boat and the port in question is a known haven for pirates, smugglers, and other unsavory characters." Danny sighed and glanced to the Book.

"Any idea how much mana it would take to create a boat" Bianca looked to him.

"How would we crew it? Besides, none of us know a thing about sailing." Danny chuckled.

"Not a sailing ship. I was thinking of something from my world. Still, I can see the problem with a crew..." At that moment, the Book tapped the pages with the quill.

 _'There may be an alternative. It requires using quite a bit of mana from the Forger but it_ _ **is**_ _possible to automate a machine that requires more than one person to use.'_ Danny gave the Book a very flat look.

"Why didn't you say something when we had the tank and I was scrambling from one position to another?"

 _'You didn't ask. Besides, automating requires a certain spell that is currently beyond your range as it requires a sustained flow of mana for a certain amount of time. Anyway, if you had known the spell when you created the tank, the most I could have done was perhaps control the direction and speed of the tank, and rotated the turret. I cannot, for instance, load, aim and fire a weapon but if that weapon is mounted to a frame I_ _ **can**_ _rotate the frame so long as it is connected to the device overall.'_ Danny nodded and then pondered something.

"So a ship that would require a crew of several hundred would only need a fraction of that number once it is automated. That is a load off my mind but still, we haven't crossed that bridge yet. How much mana would be needed to Forge a ship?"

 _'It varies depending on the size of the ship. One thing that is universal however, is that unless you are borrowing mana from other spellcasters, dragons, or your brother, you will need to do what is known as a 'partial Forge'. The key elements for shipbuilding are as follows: keel, ribs, hull, decks, compartments, structure. Depending on the ship design, the mana cost per section would roughly cost in the best case an entire day's worth of mana which is possible but would exhaust you considerably, and at worse case an entire week's worth which, unless you were helped could kill you.'_ Danny sighed.

"Certainly don't want that. Alright then Bianca, teach me how to boost my mana capacity." Bianca nodded.

"Not now or tonight, we'll start tomorrow. By the way, I have just come from Darte and she said she wanted to see you about something." Danny thanked her for stopping by and, after taking a moment to change his clothes, stepped out of the hut and, like clockwork, the two venom dragons behind him, Ivis and Oace, fell into perfect step behind him. Danny noticed how they kept in perfect step and couldn't help but smile and glance back to the two sisters.

"The two of you are very well trained. I admit it gives me a sense of familiarity, reminds me of when I would inspect the pilots and planes in my squadron back in my world." The praise had the desired effect. Ivis, the younger of the two, blushed and Oace broke her set expression with a smile.

"Thank you for saying so. Uncle Ash makes sure that as the protectors of the village, all of us are trained in rudimentary military procedures." That got Danny's attention.

"'Uncle'? I thought the two of you were his daughters?" Oace chuckled.

"You wouldn't be the first visitors to think that. No. Aunt Venomia is the Matriarch, and thus our leader. Her younger sisters have their own small settlements and mates and we go about to different places learning and training. The one who has the final say in our training as hunters and soldiers is Aunt Venomia and Uncle Ash. The Matriarch challenges our skill with poison and her Champion tests our combat prowess." Danny nodded understandingly.

"Okay, so, your mother is?" This time Ivis answered.

"Our Mother is Lady Syonis and our Father is Aquila, a wind dragon who Mother saved and nursed back to health and then fell in love with."

"The Florence Nightingale Effect." Oace cocked her head to him curiously.

"What was that?"

"It's an effect in my world where nurses fall in love with their patients. Named after Florence Nightingale who was a woman who revolutionized medical science as well as made women a more prominent fixture in medicine."

As he said this they arrived at Venomia's manor which was far bigger than any other building in the village. The guards spotted Danny, gave polite nods, and stepped aside. Danny mused that Venomia had anticipated Darte wanting to speak to him and his status as Forger was unique. Still, the way that the guards gave sly glances to one another put him on edge that something was amiss.

As he navigated the manor to Darte's chambers, he heard numerous crashing noises from the room. Fearing something was wrong, Danny broke open the door to find Darte searching frantically through every nook and cranny of her room for something. She was so engrossed in searching she completely ignored his presence. It wasn't until he cleared his throat that she looked to him and he could tell by her expression that something was wrong.

"D-Danny?! What are you doing here?!" Danny glanced at her curiously.

"You told Bianca that you needed to speak to me about something?" Darte froze for a moment and then sighed.

"Yes, sorry I forgot. I was just so... panicked... I... I can't find them anywhere." Danny was even more puzzled.

"What's missing? Surely someone wouldn't be crazy enough to steal from the daughter of a Matriarch like Venomia, right?" Darte sighed.

"Unless you are Venomia herself or one of her other daughters." She paused for a moment and then took a deep breath of air and sighed.

"Do you have _any_ idea how good you smell?" Danny chuckled nervously.

"Do you mean that in a 'just bathed good smell' or something... else..." Darte chuckled and shook her head.

"Not like that. I just mean, your natural scent... It's like a mix between freshly tilled soil , herbs, and fresh cut redwood. I... oh no..." Danny glanced at her as she panted heavily, obviously trying hard to calm down for some unknown reason.

"Darte? Is something wrong?" Darte sighed.

"There is an herb that only grows in the forests around here that supresses... certain things... when they are not needed." Danny suddenly went red with embarrassment at her meaning and coughed nervously.

"You're in... 'heat'?" Darte nodded.

"It's not my first... but... I have no doubt that either Mom or one of my sisters is behind the 'disappearance' of my supply of those herbs. I usually just eat one when I first show signs of it coming on but I missed the chance to take the herb when I was imprisoned and now it's... Gah, it's getting difficult to think straight!" Danny glanced to her.

"Do you need me to search? Or is there anything I can do?" Darte glanced to him to gauge his expression and then sighed.

"You are aware that my Mom's plan is to have me breed with you for the chance to have a child with Forge magic, right?" Danny shrugged.

"The thought crossed my mind but we're two different species. Right?" Darte shook her head.

"Maybe in your world where magic is nonexistant such a relationship is impossible but here where mana permeates every living thing, anything is possible. I have heard of cheetahs and wolves joining together and even dragons and others. You have Forge magic and a fair amount of mana. I am well above the age where it is expected of me to begin seeking a suitable mate. I don't know how old you are but I am nearing twenty-seven years old." Danny nodded understandingly and mentioned he was around 28 or 29.

"Still, my offer stands. Can I do anything to help?" Darte shuddered involuntarily and then nodded.

"Please... hold me... I... I need your strength to keep me for doing something... rash..." Danny froze for a moment and glanced to her. Darte was roughly the size of young horse. He easily could look her in the eyes and her shoulders and hips came up to his abdomen. For the first time he actually had a chance to examine her and, if he was any judge of beauty, she certainly was a beautiful dragoness.

Darte slowly moved over to what Danny guessed was her bed which looked like a cross between a fouton and a woven mat. As she lay down she sighed again and her tail flicked impatiently and she opened one eye to gaze at him. Knowing that Darte was still in control of her body gave him the strength to go over to her and sit beside her while she snaked her head around and lay her head down in his lap as he just stroked her neck.

He was rewarded by hearing the her growl deep in her throat which sounded like a purr, which caught him completely by surprise and caused him to chuckle. When Darte gave him a questioning glance Danny smiled.

"I've never heard of a dragon purring before. I swear you sound just like an overgrown cat we had in the barracks when I was in training." Darte snorted imperiously at that.

"Watch who you are calling an 'overgrown cat'. Though I don't agree with her half the time I'm _still_ the daughter of a Matriarch. Now then, for your information, we dragons only growl like this when we are pleased and wish to remain subtle about it. You want me to growl like that again then keep rubbing... right... there..."

Before Danny knew it, Darte had closed her eyes and had proceeded to curl her tail around his arm and pull back, the strength of which pulled him down alongside her, which then she proceeded to rest her head on his chest and realign her tail so that she completely encircled him. She opened her eyes dreamily once more and breathed deeply.

"You really do smell wonderful... If it wasn't for Mom trying to make sure I 'fit' into her agenda, I would have no problem taking you as a mate." Danny chuckled and stroked her neck again.

"Well, I kinda prefer getting to know a girl before trying to... you know? Parents raised me to always be the gentleman." Darte chuckled.

"Maybe that's why I feel drawn to you. If you were a dragon, there's no way we would simply be talking. Do... Do you humans have a word for what we're doing now?" Danny chuckled.

"It's called a 'comforting embrace' or 'cuddling'." Darte smiled and lay her head back down and listened to his heartbeat.

"I like it. Do you think... we could do this more often? Not immediately, I mean, just... if I should be unable to find any of the plants in the morning..." Danny smiled and gave her a small nod.

"As long as you give me a chance to get to know you better, I don't mind." Darte's smile broadened and she gave Danny a small lick to his cheek.

"Bianca said that you might be staying a while to boost your mana. I suppose that for every successful lesson, I could tell you something about myself?" Danny nodded.

"And in return I will tell you something about me." Darte nodded and took one last deep breath and released it slowly as if savoring his scent.

"Good night, Danny." Danny encircled one arm around Darte's neck and, using her right flank as a pillow, fell asleep in the dragoness's embrace.


	23. Aiding A Hero

Hello again everybody. Sorry for the long update but I just recently got Ghost Recon Wildlands and Dishonored 2 for my Xbox One and was having too much fun to write much. I also had to think about how to fit the next few chapters together.

Anyway, this chapter shifts back to Neal while Danny learns some of the basics. Now then, be forewarned, I did not take chemistry class in high school so please no flames if I call something by the wrong name or spell it wrong.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 22: Aiding A Hero

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Neal stood before King Altonis, Queen Tianis, and the Guardians. Despite what had happened, Magma was using Neal's letting his brother go as an act of defiance against dragonkind. Thankfully, Infernon, Ibikiir, Skylar, Lyca, and Kaviri were there to counter Magma's allegations. As Magma finished the most recent tirade, Ibikiir placed a foreclaw to his face and rubbed the bridge of his eyes as if he were developing a headache.

"Magma, given what you have seen, and given the fact that your arguement is really just one miniscule point repeated over and over again with the addition of more words with each repeated exclamation, do you honestly intend to pursue this? Did Neal allow his brother, who is a Forger, to vanish with an enchanter, a venom dragoness, and an ape sorceror in tow? Yes. However-" Magma growled angrily and glanced to the King and Queen.

"You see Your Majesties?! Even Ibikiir, his greatest ally, admits that he allowed an _ape_ to escape with his own brother! If the apes force the human to create weapons of war then how will we counter? Furthermore, will the human even consider lifting a finger to help since his own brother is now among the enemy's ranks?! He has practically _handed_ Malefor that which he most wants, a Forger!" Neal grimaced but at a glance from Kaviri he held back. Infernon glanced at Magma and sighed.

"Captain Magma, once again you use many different words to express the same initial complaint. Now then, do you trust Neal so little that he would allow his _brother_ to vanish with an ape without concern? We have the ape's word that he seeks peace alone. True that is reason for concern but, we must also trust that Neal's brother is of sound enough mind to be able to identify a threat and leave if needed. Plus, he's hardly alone." Kaviri nodded.

"You have been against Neal since Lady Constellation first brought him here seeking our aid and protection. In his brief time here he has not only improved the standards of the City Guard in the Slums, or rather the Lower Residential as it is being called now. He also bested Lockjaw and Ripper, two criminals that, despite the Guard's best efforts, remained at large since the war's end." Kaviri gave a glance to Skylar who nodded and continued.

"Neal has also helped the cheetahs. He assisted us in what Hunter tells me is considered one of our most successful hunts since the days before the war. He protected our village from attack. He has been working nonstop to improve his situation, despite all the misconceptions, all the doubts, all the fears that people have irrationally heaped upon his shoulders. I know dragons are all about fairness and honor, so I ask you, in light of all Neal Foster has done for this city and it's people, doesn't he deserve to be given the benefit of the doubt?"

Altonis glanced at the others and then to the Guardians before giving his mate a look and nodding slowly.

"Lord Ibikiir and the others are right. Neal Foster has proven himself an ally to dragonkind and as such is worthy of a second glance. Neal Foster, you may speak and, in your own words tell us why you did what you did." Neal gave and nod and approached the dais where the royals lay and steadied himself.

"Your Majesties, in my world, family is everything. From birth we are raised to always believe in your family even if you don't always agree with them. You have to have faith that whatever situation they have gotten themselves in can be resolved in due course. My brother was always a good judge of character. Was he the most patient sort? Not always." Neal glanced at Ibikiir and Kaviri and then to Magma.

"Siblings always watch out for each other. When I was in school if something happened I could almost always count on my big brother to be there to lend a helping hand. My brother could also count on me to help if he ran into a situation that he needed my help with. Granted as he was the older brother most situations requiring my help was impressing a girl with how responsible he was. That or keeping watch in case Mom and Dad came back earlier than they said they would."

This got a few chuckles from Ibikiir and both the King and Queen gave small smiles. Neal then decided to continue.

"The enchantress, Bianca, said that she could see that our paths, though different, eventually ended at the same point: stopping Shadra, Axian, and Malefor. What will occur between now and then, I haven't a clue. I can say for certain however, that my brother would never betray me or make me doubt his intentions. He and I... we've been through and seen too much to allow doubt to break our bond as brothers." He gave a glance to Magma and then back to the royals.

"Though I do not doubt his abilities having witnessed them myself at Darkfort, Captain Magma has continually and constantly vocalized his doubts and fears about me to anyone who would listen. I personally have nothing against him but rather I understand that when something new or different comes along, it is natural to be suspicious." Magma gave a small cough but otherwise remained silent, surprisingly.

"However, a wise man once said: 'Conforming yourself to better please someone's opinion and you will destroy the opinions others have of you.' While I still hope that one day Captain Magma will see me not as a threat but as an ally, I fear that anything I do in the current moment will not impress upon him that fact. Therefore, as I stand before Your Majesties and the Guardians, I ask that you judge me for yourselves based upon what you have seen, heard, and learned of me in these past few days. Whatever you decide, I shall accept."

Neal was awarded by glances of approval from not only his supporters but the Guardians as well. As well as a rather sour expression on Magma as he realized essentially what had just happened. However, before anyone spoke, the door to the chamber burst open and Cynder came in, frightened and worried. Immediately, Constance glanced to her daughter.

"Cynder, what's wrong?" Cynder took a deep steadying breath and eyed her Mom.

"It's Spyro. He was training to try and reawaken his powers and he suddenly collapsed! It isn't like it was when the Chronicler summoned him, he's in bad shape."

Almost immediately the Guardians rose and left the chamber following Cynder. Neal glanced at the royals.

"Your Majesties, while my knowledge of this world is limited, may I be dismissed to see if I can be of any assistance?" King Altonis gave a nod and Neal, worried for his friend, left the chamber at a run to catch up with the Guardians.

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As Neal arrived at the training area, he found Leviathan, the Water Guardian, looking over Spyro with a confused look and Sparx, Spyro's adopted brother, fluttering about in a panicked way. He remembered that Water Dragons were trained as healers so as he approached he asked the question that apparently was on everyone's mind.

"Is he alright?" Leviathan glanced to Neal and shrugged.

"Physically he seems to be perfectly healthy; however, I am noticing that his aura, his mana, is incredibly low. Much lower than it should be for a dragon. However, this problem is usually solved with mana crystals but to restore him mana to a level it needs to be would actually take more crystals than we have on hand at the moment." Neal glanced to the purple dragon and then back to the Guardian.

"Will he recover on his own? Has this happened before?" Leviathan shrugged again.

"I have not heard of it happening before and normally I would recommend bedrest to recover but something seems off... Cynder? Sparx? How often has he tried to bring his abilities back?" Sparx, who was floating beside Cynder, eyed the Guardian and then sighed.

"He's been trying on an almost daily schedule, like clockwork. However, I've never seen him gasp and suddenly collapse like he did today." Neal suddenly had an idea and summoned the Book.

"Please tell me I can create medical equipment." The Book flipped its pages to a section intitled 'Medical Equipment'. Neal immediately thought of a stethoscope and created it and ran to Spyro. Leviathan glanced at the device curiously and Sparx floated closer to see it.

"What is that thing used for?" Neal placed the earbuds in his ears and placed the small metal disk to Spyro's chest and explained.

"It's called a stethoscope. Human doctors use them to listen for things in the body such as breathing, heartrate, basically anything that goes on in the body that creates sound. Since I have absolutely no idea about dragon physiology, I'm doing the best I can by guessing where the heart and lungs would be if Spyro was human... There!"

Through the stethoscope, Neal could hear very rapid shallow breaths in Spyro's lungs and from the heart was a rapid beating. He frowned as he heard that and looked to Leviathan.

"His breathing is labored and rapid, heart rate is also rapid. It's almost as if he suffered a panic attack or something to that nature." Cynder glanced to him.

"A panic attack? Like fear?" Neal shook his head.

"No, although you're on the right track. When you exert yourself or experience fear, your breathing increases, you heart rate and blood pressure spikes and your body releases a chemical known as adrenaline to prepare you for the 'fight or flight' response. Basically your body is being prepared to either fight off the fear or flee from it. Panic attacks cause by exertion work much the same way except for no adrenaline rush. Right now his heart is beating fast enough that I am worried. If he was trying to use his abilities and used whatever mana was in his body to no effect..." Leviathan went wide-eyed.

"Backlash! Of course! He channeled out so much mana trying to regain his abilities that he exhausted himself beyond safety. Still, we don't have the mana crystals needed to help him fully recover, only to ease the worst of it so that he can recover naturally." Neal and Sparx glanced to the large dragon.

"How long would that take?"

"Anywhere between a week to perhaps two. Sometimes in extreme cases a month of recuperation is needed." Neal looked at Spyro and then looked to Leviathan.

"Is it possible to transfer mana from one being to another?" The dragon nodded.

"It is possible, however, pouring mana into an exhausted dragon is like pouring water into a well, there's no telling how deep the well goes or how much mana is left. You could end up exhausting yourself as bad or worse than Spyro is now." Cynder sighed.

"It's my fault. I should have stopped him when he started complaining about a headache." Leviathan suddenly gave her a sharp look.

"A headache?! Ancestors that's even worse! A headache is one of the symptoms of Mana Surge. It occurs when a dragon tries to use an ability with too little mana. The energy from the attack has to come from somewhere and so it pulls it from the wielder's own body!" Neal saw the fear in the Guardian's eyes and saw that same fear in the others. Sparx audibly gulped and then asked the question.

"How much more serious is it?"

"He could become comatose or even die if the mana is not replenished quickly enough." Neal now realized what this meant and started rushing through his mind trying to find a solution...

 _(That's it! A solution!)_ He turned to Leviathan.

"Can crystals be ground up into say a powder?" Leviathan nodded, curious as to what Neal was thinking. Volteer saw Neal's eyes and asked.

"What are you thinking Neal?" Neal faced Volteer.

"Whenever a medicine is too weak to do any good at the present time, you up the dosage. Now then, how do dragons normally absorb the crystals?" Leviathan glanced to him.

"We eat them, of course." Neal nodded.

"Given Spyro's current state, him chewing and swallowing a crystal is not possible, however, if we were to grind the crystal into a powder and mix it with water to create a solution or a potion, we could pour it down his throat." Volteer nodded but then sighed.

"A good idea but one problem, immersion in water tends to reduce the desired effect. You literally water down the power of the crystal." Neal chuckled.

"So then we concentrate it."

"Concentrate?" Neal nodded and then used some mana to create an chemistry apparatus. He then turned to Volteer.

"Now then, you said there aren't enough mana crystals to recover Spyro on its own. So, is there a type of crystal that... amplifies the power of other crystals?" Volteer nodded.

"Indeed; there are spirit crystals and fury crystals." Neal nodded.

"Alright then, what I'll need is to create a baseline. If I can grind up two mana crystals and one spirit crystal I think that would be enough to create a baseline potion. Now then, for water..." Leviathan coughed.

"I can help with that. What kind do you need?" Neal thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Either pure spring water or mineral water." Leviathan nodded and bent his head over the largest beaker Neal had created and ejected a spray of water that quickly filled the beaker to the brim. Neal glanced at the Guardian and saw his expression.

"How else do you think water dragons use their elements?" Neal remained silent but gave a shrug and a nod.

"So then that's technically pure water, right?" Leviathan nodded.

"Water dragons can use their mana to create all types of water from fresh spring water to sea water and even mineral water and rain water. It all depends though on how much energy we put behind it that determines whether it is a trickle of water, a drenching spray, or a powerful weapon capable of cutting steel. Surely you humans know the power of water?" Neal nodded.

"Indeed. In my time, water is used for multiple purposes. Water mills create electricity to power our cities, water cutters are used to cut out machine pieces, and water picks are used to cut through rock when mining."

Leviathan gave a wry smile and saw several Guardians sigh before Constance spoke.

"Leviathan may not show it often, which is what makes him bearable, but he has an ego that could rival Cyril and you just stoked it." Neal sighed and nodded as Volteer returned with the crystals.

The two mana crystals gave off a bright green glow while the spirit crystal gave off a blue light. Each was as big as his hand so Neal first had to use a small hammer to break the crystals into even smaller pieces before he could put them in the mortar to grind them into powder. As this was happening, the Guardians watched, intrigued by what Neal was doing. In fact, no one even noticed when the King and Queen themselves arrived to see Neal at work. They were also drawing a crowd as several young dragons, instructors, and even Ember and her siblings were there watching with held breath.

As soon as the powder was to where Neal needed it, he poured the powder into the beaker with the water and started stirring. As he did so, the powder mixed with the water and turned the mixture into a gold color as the mixture was infused. When it was mixed together enough, he poured the mixture into a flask and then looked to Furnace, the Fire Guardian.

"To concentrate to the potion, the solution must be boiled. To do that we need to heat the mixture so that the concentrated potion will become a vapor that, once it passes through the condensor should be almost to the point we need it." Furnace nodded and used his fire to create a flame under the flask to heat the mixture.

As the mixture heated, suddenly Spyro groaned and Sparx turned to Neal, panic visible on his face.

"Can the mixture be used yet?" Neal shook his head.

"Not yet! It isn't ready!" Cynder then glanced to her Mother and then walked towards Spyro, lay down alongside him completely still and lowered her right wing over him and began to channel her mana to him. As she did so, she lowered her head and gave Spyro a small nudge and then a small kiss and sighed.

"You said you remembered what I said when you pulled the world back together and undid what Malefor had done. Well, in case you didn't hear me the first time. I love you, Spyro."

Neal gave a smile to Cynder and returned his focus to the mixture before him. Unbeknownst to all except her brothers, Ember had left the training fields.

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Flame had seen the commotion and then saw the crowd gather and, upon seeing Ember leave the group, decided to follow her and perhaps speak to her. Thankfully she hadn't gone that far and Flame found her sitting under a tree sobbing softly. As he approached, she turned and gave him a glance and sighed.

"My Father and brothers told me that Cynder loved him... I just... I believed for so long that Spyro and I... Ancestors I must have looked a fool pining for him like that..." Flame didn't say anything but instead sat down beside her. Ember turned to glance at him and then sighed.

"Feel free to disagree at any time if you think I'm berating myself too much." Flame nodded and then, acting on instinct, spread his left wing over Ember and gazed at her her sky blue eyes shimmering behind a wall of unshed tears. He then gave her a small smile.

"There is a bright side to all this. At least... now you can support Spyro as a friend and you are free to pursue whomever you wish." Ember huffed.

"What male would honestly want me the way I have been carrying on about Spyro since my family returned to Warfang?" Flame gave her a little nudge and she turned to glance into his eyes that shimmered like pools of molten gold and he smiled.

"I for one think you are wonderful Ember. Everything about you, the way you talk, laugh, smile. Any male who would willingly pass on you or brush you off is a fool. To be honest... I... I find myself attracted to you... but... you probably wouldn't care for a male who is a simple Guard." Ember held her breath for a time and then leaned into Flame and sighed gently.

"You may be 'simply a Guard', Flame, but there is definately nothing 'simple' about you. I suppose that, if you wish to recieve my affection, we're both going to have to ignore whatever protests my brothers decide to come up with. Father would be happy with me regardless of who I fell in love with but he may still decide to give you the 'daddy's little girl' speech and the impending list of 'what I'll do if you ever hurt her'." Flame smiled, all hesitation gone, and leaned into Ember, enjoying the warmth radiating from her and smiled.

"I would never hurt you Ember." Ember smiled at that and together they sat under the tree together.

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The mixture was almost ready, having taken the distilling flask, added more powder to the mixture, and then pouring it into a retort that was now being heated. The once thin liquid had thickened somewhat and had become an even richer golden color. As the mixture heated it flowed through another condensor and back into the original beaker that had held it. After a moment, Neal nodded to Furnace who stopped feeding mana to the fire and Neal took the retort to Cyril who used his ice element to cool the now gold-amber mixture and then he went to Spyro. He glanced to Cynder.

"I'm going to need you to hold his mouth open. I'm going to pour the mixture down his throat while manipulating the throat muscles in a swallowing action so that the mixture isn't accidentally inhaled." Cynder nodded that she understood and parted Spyro's jaws as Neal knelt beside the purple dragon, placed one hand under his throat and slowly tipped the gold-amber potion into his mouth.

Slowly flexing his hand under Spyro's neck, Neal was able to ensure that Spyro was swallowing the potion instead of it simply flowing into his lungs. Skylar had also given him a hand by holding the stethoscope to Spyro's chest for Neal so that he could hear his lungs in case he did inhale accidentally. Slowly, the contents of the beaker emptied into the dragon's open maw and vanished down his throat. When the beaker was empty, Neal set it aside and then nodded to Cynder who joined him in channelling their mana into Spyro.

After what seemed like hours, they heard a groan and saw Spyro's eyes flutter open. Sparx was suddenly there and yelled triumphantly.

"He's awake! He's awake!" Spyro slowly, and unsteadily, rose to his feet and shook his head while gazing around at everyone and then to Neal and Cynder.

"What's wrong guys? You're all looking at me as if something bad had happened." Cynder didn't say anything but embraced Spyro as Neal and Leviathan explained what had happened, leaving Spyro notable embarassed.

"I'm sorry for causing so much worry. It's just that I can't stand it. Shadra and Axian are still out there wreaking Ancestor's know how much havoc and my friends are having to fight battles that I, as a purple dragon, should have prevented in the first place. I just feel so useless!" Neal glanced to Spyro and placed a hand on his back.

"Do me a favor Spyro and never say that again, eh? You are many things but useless definately isn't one of them. Now then, before you say anything, listen. There is no need to push yourself as hard as you're doing. Things like this, they take time to happen. Your loss of powers isn't technically an injury but it should be treated as such. All injuries take time, rest, and patience to heal." He then smiled and gave the two young dragons a glance.

"Trust me, your abilities will return to you when either you least expect them to or when you most need them. Until then, focus on the things currently within your power to do. When you feel up to it, start again with your physical training. Brush up on some classes and basics. Your mind and body are seperate pieces of the same machine. Both need to be well kept and maintained. Challenge yourself with puzzles, memory quizes, things of that nature." Neal then rose and summoned the Book which had copied the ingredients and details of the mixture that had helped him.

"Now then Spyro, on the of chance you are not a full health, I am going to make a few more of these mixtures and give them to Cynder. Her job will be to make sure you drink one every day for the rest of the week. Or, if you prefer to make it a challenge, remind yourself to take one a day and Cynder, if he forgets, you are his safety net. You remind him if he forgets, okay?" Cynder smiled and nodded as both she and Spyro twined their tails together and Cynder started talking about how rediculous Sparx was while Spyro was out cold.

As Neal started work on the other potions, he then became aware of the crowd gazng at him with mixed expressions. Most of them were relief and even a few were happy. Among those who showed relief was King Altonis and Queen Tianis who smiled at Neal and approached him. After murmuring to each other for a moment, they both nodded and Altonis addressed Neal.

"Neal Foster. Today you have shown your skill in a dire situation. You have not only introduced a method of healing to our civilization, you have saved the life of one of the most important dragons in our city. Therefore, my Queen and I have finally decided that you shall be granted your request for safety here and you shall be granted the same rights, priviledges, honors, and protection afforded by all our subjects and citizens. We hereby recognize you, Neal Foster, as Forger of Warfang. Once your skills have improved some more, you may even be granted the title of Guardian of Forge Magic." Altonis smiled at Neal's stunned expression and then for the first time ever Tianis addressed Neal directly.

"My mate and I were already sure that you were friendly but this last action proved it. As Queen I look forward to seeing how your skills grow and improve and how your relationship with the people of Warfang will grow deeper and stronger. You are now a link in the chain that supports and protects our city. Perhaps in the upcoming days I shall take a que from Lord Ibikiir and commission some things from you." Neal smiled and gave a bow to Queen Tianis and King Altonis.

"I would be honored, Your Majesties." The crowd now broke into wild cheering and shouting as Neal suddenly found himself surrounded by dragons, cheetahs, moles, and other races congradulating him, thanking him, and welcoming him to Warfang.

In the distance, watching the proceedings with evident disdain and anger, Magma and his brother Lord Vesuvius skulked off.


	24. A Double Commission

Okay guys, we're back with another chapter. I'm back with another chapter for Forge Summoner. So, first thing's first, I was reading a story from Reader's Digest a few days ago and came across an article that amused me.

(Reader's Digest, who knew? FYI: It was the October 2017 issue.)

Anyway, the people of Placerville, California are going through the same problem that we're going through here in Louisiana. Bad roads. Things got so bad the citizens started tagging the holes with spray paint to bring them to the city's attention. Well, they got it.

In an act of sheer brilliance (I use that term figuratively) the city cleaned up the spray paint (deemed 'graffiti') and left the potholes!

...

...

In case you're curious, my cuckoo clock just went off as I was writing this, reinforcing my opinion.

Anyway, on to the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

(I also own several cans of silver luminescent spray paint that, once I'm confident that there won't be any sun showers or rain for a few days, I shall be mimicking the good people of Placerville and outlining the holes that mark the road.)

Chapter 23: A Double Commission

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It had been the first time since before Neal had gone to Darkfort that Spyro had come to the Lower Residential district. In all honesty, he had been completely surprised by how much progress had been made since Neal had been accepted by the King and Queen three days ago. If what he had heard from Hunter who spoke constantly with Skylar, Neal was being kept so busy with requests, requisitions, and commissions that he no longer had time to physically help with the reconstruction.

Not that it was a problem. Once enough moles saw how the rivets were made and hammered into position, all Neal had to do was create a large number of framing pieces and the groups doing the construction did the rest.

` So far eight residential buildings, six stores, one bank, two clinics, and another City Guard HQ had been built. The HQ had been the most recent because the older building had been neglected for so long it was practically condemned. Plus, Neal had also been helping the local merchants by not only Forging better wagons and carts, he had also been training a few wolves and cheetahs on how to use human weaponry to protect the carts from the ape marauders and other bandits that still plagued the land.

But again, Spyro found himself amazed at how quickly and how busy everyone seemed. As he approached the Full Moon Tavern which, thanks to Neal, had been the first tavern in the district to be completely remodeled, the sounds of multiple patrons inside enjoying themselves made him smile and think that just a few days ago this wouldn'thave been possible.

Truly, the citizens of Warfang owed Neal much more for what he had done.

It actually was no surprise then, given Neal's popularity as a Forger, that Volteer had insisted upon dusting off some old books of lore and started including them in his regular lessons. Some of the things ancient Forgers had done still boggled Spyro's mind but for now he was here for one thing.

As he entered the Tavern, he glanced around for Lyca and spotted her at the bar serving drinks to Fenrir and a few others and laughing with them about something. When he approached the bar, Lyca glanced to him and immediately went to him.

"Master Spyro, an honor to see you here of all places. What can I get you?" Spyro, taken aback by being so formally spoken to, shook his head.

"It's just Spyro. I'm actually looking for Neal. Is he here?" Lyca nodded.

"Aye he is. The blasted fool used too much of his mana again and is still sound asleep in his room. I had half a mind to throw a bucket of ice water over his head but with all that he's doing I decided to let him rest. If it isn't the Guard, it's the merchants, and if it isn't them its the moles, and if not them it's those nobles who want him to create this or that for their trophy collections. To be honest, I'm amazed he hasn't collapsed before now. Humans must be made of stronger stuff than I thought." Fenrir chuckled at the bar and gave Lyca a smile.

"Indeed Lyca, and if you meen to do what I _think_ you're going to do, you'd best be made of stuff just as strong if not stronger!" Lyca's face took on the same color as her fur and she turned to Fenrir.

"Just for _that_ Fen, no more drinks today or tomorrow!" Fenrir looked at her shocked and placed a paw on his chest.

"Why bless me, are you _actually_ cutting me off?" His shocked expression turned into a small smile and he nodded.

"Then again, it'll be well worth it. Neal's lucky to have someone like you looking out for him Lyca. My namesake knows that he needs a little looking after." Fenrir was, of course, referencing the fact that he was named for the great warrior wolf Fenrir who supposedly ages ago defeated Malius the Bloody and went on to become the Father of all wolf races.

Lyca's expression softened and she nodded her thanks.

"It's true that I have feelings for him but it's also true that I don't like having my feelings spoken aloud in such a drunken manner. Plus, tradition dictates that the _male_ must first show interest before a female can voice her emotions." Fenrir chuckled again and took another drink from his mug.

"Since when have _you_ ever cared about traditions? Besides, Neal doesn't know wolf customs, even a _blind_ wolf can see he fancies you." Lyca glared at him but then sighed and nodded.

"True, I don't usually care for traditions but... something about Neal... he makes me want to do things right. If that means going through with traditions then so be it." Spyro glanced to her and then nodded.

"I know how you feel. That's part of the reason I want to speak to him. I want to ask him if he'll Forge something for me." Fenrir turned to Spyro and smiled.

"This wouldn't be anything for a certain female dragon who I shall not name?" Lyca glared at him and then nodded to Spyro.

"Second floor, third door on the left. Be careful though, Rivet and Domino are in there as it's not a school day and they tend to be heavy sleepers." Spyro nodded and went up the stairs as the general merry making picked up again.

When Spyro reached the room, he cautiously knocked a few times. However, when no one answered, he slowly undid the latch and opened the door. Much to his astonishment, Neal's room was rather sparce with the exception of a desk, a bookstand, a dresser, and two beds on the other side of the room where Domino and Rivet lay sprawled out partly under the covers and in Rivet's case halfway falling out of the bed.

On the book podium, Spyro saw Neal's enchanted Book slowly transcribing things and occasionally flipping pages to start on something new. A low breathing sound got his attention and he saw Neal lying on the bed, still clothed and just staring up at the cieling as if nothing was wrong. He took a moment to clear his throat in which Neal faced him and nodded.

"Spyro, how are you feeling? Did you need another couple of potions or is this about something else?" Spyro nodded.

"I'm fine thanks for asking. No to the potions but yes to something else." Neal nodded and rose from the bed, taking a moment to crack his back and neck before standing. Spyro immediately glanced at the two young dragons as Neal's joints popped but Neal seemed unconcerned.

"I don't need to worry about waking them up. As I learned when I first accepted them into my care those two are _very_ heavy sleepers. In fact, I'd bet they could sleep through a close range artillery duel and never stir once."

Neal took a moment to produce a lighter and started a small flame under a tall metal kettle that was sitting on a table by his bed. Next, to Spyro's amazement, Neal produced some kind of fabric object, some kind of powder, set them in the kettle and then poured water over it and set the top back on it. Neal saw Spyro's confused expression and smiled.

"One of the perks about being an accepted member of society now is that I can go into the Merchant District and buy some things I couldn't before. Imagine my surprise when a cheetah offers me some black beans that, when ground up and immersed in boiling water, produce a drink similar to coffee. I have to admit, knowing that there _are_ some similarities between my world and this one has really put the life back into me." Neal took a seat at the desk and waited for the coffee pot to finish percolating.

"Now then, while I wait for the coffee to finish, I may as well guess that this isn't a social call otherwise you'd have brought Sparx and Cynder with you." Spyro nodded.

"While I was... I guess unconscious, I thought I heard Cynder's voice and that she told me that she loves me. When I asked her about it she didn't answer but rather acted like she had done after we defeated Malefor." Neal nodded.

"Well I was there and I definately heard her say something along those lines. So, let me guess, you want to commission something from me for her?" Spyro nodded.

"Since I have nothing to do but train until my powers return, and I'm fed up with all these random females all but falling over themselves, I want to... that is... I..." Neal nodded.

"You want to make it official. An engagement gift, right?" Spyro nodded.

"According to what I learned from some of Volteer's books, when a male is interested in a female he must make his feelings known with a gift. Something that the female will use and will display proudly. Armor wouldn't work since really there's no call for either Cynder or I to use our armor anymore, plus, it would have to be something subtle." Neal thought for a moment and then smiled as he got an idea.

"How about this, a four-piece kit. I've noticed Cynder wears bracelets on her forelegs, a choker around her neck, and a tail band. Would that be satisfactory?" Spyro nodded.

"Yes, and if possible, made out of a metals that contrasts well to her scales. And plus... well... this is actually the most embarrassing part... Could you set a violet gem into each piece? Violet gems are worth the most and I want to show she means more to me than any treasure in the world." Neal thought for a moment and then nodded.

"I think I can do that. Although, I'm going to need to ask you to supply the gems as even though I'm doing well in commissions, I have yet to even _glimpse_ a violet gem. Most prefer the yellow gems or a mixture of yellow green and red gems to pay me. As for the metals, I'm thinking of a titanium base with silver filigree encircling and displaying each gem. I have an idea of how to design it but, as I said, _you_ need to come up with the gems to install." Spyro nodded.

"I can do that. Besides, it wouldn't say much about my love for her if I asked you to do all the work, right?" Neal smiled.

"The two of you really do belong together, you know?" Spyro smiled and sheepishly nodded.

"And to think it only took me pulling the world back together, and then falling unconscious to realize that."

"That's how love works. Sometimes it's as obvious as a bolt from the blue and sometimes it takes a little time to show itself prominently enough. The bottom line: it takes time to begin, time to nurture, and time to cement itself. Now then, I'm a little backlogged with commissions but I can have the set ready later this afternoon. Just bring the gems then and I'll set them." Spyro nodded his thanks and left to look around the newly rebuilt buildings in the district.

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As Spyro left his room and his footsteps receeded, Neal let out a sigh of relief and then glanced behind the trunk in his room and smiled.

"He's gone. You can come out now Cynder."

Cynder rose from her hiding spot, her face flushed with excitement but also a sense of worry.

"He's getting a complete set for me..." Neal nodded.

"Spyro doesn't look like the type who cares much for finery. Besides, you heard him, he loves you Cynder." Cynder nodded.

"I know but still, how can I just give him a set of bracers and a pendant? I mean they don't even have any jewels embedded in them." Neal approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"It's enough that he knows you love him. Trust me, love like this, he'd be happy even if all you gave him was a simple chain. A popular human saying is: It's not the size of the ring that matters but how much love the two people have for each other." Neal then went back to his Book to start checking possible designs for Spyro's and Cynder's gifts for each other and glanced over his shoulder to her as she rose to leave.

"Take my advice, stop doubting yourself. If you start thinking that whatever you do isn't enough, you may wind up going overboard and pushing Spyro away. He's not a perfectionist, keep it simple." Cynder thought for a moment and then smiled to Neal and left, leaving Neal to his devices.

As the door closed and Neal returned to his desk, he heard a creak over to where Domino and Rivet were asleep and turned to see Domino slowly rising and easily sliding off her bed without disturbing her little brother. Neal smiled at her and nodded.

"Sleep well?" Domino nodded and walked over to the desk.

"So... this has to be new... the two heroes come to you to Forge presents for the other without either knowing." Neal nodded.

"Yep. Sounds like one of those cheesy stories I used to read to go to sleep. Well, I've got this work to do if you want to wake Rivet up and go downstairs for a bite to eat, I'll be down shortly after I finish with Spyro's commission." Domino nodded and turned to wake Rivet up but then stopped and faced Neal again.

"You know... I didn't say this when you came back but..." Neal faced Domino and saw her smile.

"I'm glad you came back Neal." Neal nodded and chuckled.

"You know technically, you could call me 'Dad' if you felt so inclined, right?" Domino nodded.

"Yeah... but Rivet and I still remember our birth parents... It just... it wouldn't feel right." Neal gave her a small smile and a nod and returned to his work and Domino woke Rivet.

However, Domino and Rivet had a plan they had been working on since Neal had returned and the scamps were confident that, if it worked, Neal would thank them later.

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Downstairs, the two dragonets found Lyca just winding down the breakfast rush. The bar was almost empty with the exception of Fenrir who was drinking rather slowly while talking shop with another wolf. Immediately upon seeing the two of them, Lyca smiled and produced two plates with food and set them aside for them.

As Domino took her place at a table, Rivet gave her a small nod and she turned to Lyca.

"Lyca, Neal said he wanted to speak to you about something." Lyca stopped what she was doing and gave the two young dragons an appraising glance as if she suspected something but then shrugged and started up the stairs, stopping only to look at Fenrir.

"Hey Fen, do me a favor and keep an eye on the place and those kids, eh? Most likely they just want me gone so that they can pester Holt for seconds." Fenrir chuckled knowing full well that the wolf who worked as the Tavern's cook had developed a soft spot for Domino and Rivet. He just couldn't say no to them.

As Lyca entered the room, she saw Neal hunched over the Book that was drawing, editing, and flipping pages like crazy. She paused just inside the doorway and heard Neal heave a deep sigh.

"Blast it. No matter what design I look at it just never seems to fit!"

The Book wrote something with its silent quill and Neal nodded.

"Yeah, I know. All my knowledge is about armor and weapons. I'm as much a jeweler as Magma is a comedian."

More writing.

"What do you mean 'haven't I seen many engagement rings before'? Have I been in a jewelery store in my world? Yes, once but that was... long ago... Do I remember every single instance one of my shipmates let his or her guard down long enough to start flashing photos of his or her wedding, engagements rings, and kids? Not every instance but there are a few that stand out and none of those designs would work!" Neal gave another sigh and seemed to slump into the chair.

"Of all the designs I remember humans coming up with: Tribal, Traditional, Medival, Celtic, Germanic, Teutonic, Oriental, Native American, Central American, South American, Roman, Persian, Greece, Byzantine, all of those don't seem to match... If I had a few examples of dragon craftsmanship I _might_ gain the insight needed to create something for them... In the process I might find out something that I could give to her..."

The Book started writing again.

"Are my feelings for Lyca genuine? Of course they are. She's smart, funny, has looks that could stop just about anyone in their tracks, and her eyes... every time I glance at her she's so full of life, so vibrant, I have to stop myself from speaking otherwise I'd probably come across as a complete idiot for fear of saying the wrong thing." He sighed a third time and then pushed the chair back.

"Maybe I'll take my own advice and head to the merchant district and see what type of art dragons do... while I'm at it I might as well see what kind of art wolves are interested in..."

As Neal rose and turned he came face to face with Lyca and immediately went beet red with embarrassment.

"L-Lyca?! H-How much did you-? What all did you-? How long have you-?" Lyca gave Neal a small smile and silenced him by pulling him into a hug and kissing him broadly.

Unlike the accidental peck they had shared in the plane on the way to Darkfort, this was a full-fledged kiss the kind of which that Neal had honestly never experienced before in his life. After a moment of shock, he relaxed and returned the ardent embrace and sunk into Lyca's kiss.

They held each other like that for a moment before Lyca broke the kiss, her eyes glowing.

"I didn't know you felt like that around me." Neal chuckled and gazed into the she-wolf's eyes and smiled.

"Trust me, I didn't realize it myself until that time in the plane. We humans have a myriad of corny one-liners about falling in love at first sight or meeting the one-in-a-million person that makes all seem right in the world. The kind of person that, no matter how messed up their life is that person just makes it all fall away as if it never happened. Until I met you... I have to admit I never believed in them..."

"Every time I see you, my heart immediately starts beating as if I ran five miles wearing a full field pack. The way you smile, laugh, the way you knock Fenrir between the ears whenever he's being crude and then turn right around and hand him some bread or something help balance out the alcohol in his system." Lyca chuckled at that and nodded to Neal and he took a steadying breath.

"At the risk of sounding like a _very_ corny book: You are my muse, my inspiration. I feel like... like I could, well, do the impossible." Lyca smiled and nodded to him.

"I feel the same way whenever I see you. Just seeing how you can be gentle, kind, and caring to Domino and Rivet one moment and then all seriousness when someone asks for help. In my clan, males fight each other over a female. It's one of the reasons I left. I am _not_ a prize to be won; I am someone with feelings. Don't get me wrong, as a wolf it's a part of me to seek out a male who, physically, can take care of himself, but you... you may not be as masculine as some wolves, but you are certainly not lacking for fierceness, maturity, and composure." Lyca pulled Neal back into another hug and a kiss and this time when she broke the kiss, she smiled at him.

"Now then, let's me and you both go to the Merchant Quarter and see what we can do for your inspiration. Meanwhile, we can also look at some wolf vendors and see what... catches our eye, hmm?" Neal chuckled.

"Traditionally, for humans, the male is supposed to shop for an engagement gift for the female he loves." Lyca threw back her head and howled with laughter.

"First off Neal Foster, I am _not_ human, I am an alpha female wolf of the Red Mountain clan." She pulled him into another deep kiss.

"Second, I don't give three howls in the Abyss about tradition. I see you, a male, capable of doing so much and inspiring so many, and every instinct in my body is saying 'He's the one'." She then released the embrace and turned, lightly slapping Neal's torso with her bushy tail and gave a glance back over her shoulder.

"Give me a few moments to put on something more suited to going out in public and we'll both go together." As she left Neal remained standing with a stunned expression and only came to when he heard the Book tapping behind him.

 _'What was_ _ **THAT**_ _all about?'_ Neal shrugged, still gazing at the door.

"I just got the stuffing hugged out of me." If the Book had a face, it would have smirked.

 _'Well, some have it and some don't'._ Neal groaned at the William Christopher one-liner and then chuckled.

"I guess I'll wait downstairs... Hopefully when I return I'll have some ideas."

As Neal left, the Book remained stationary, however, moments later a thin blue mist rose from the Book and congealed into a dragon shape. A _female_ dragon. The dragoness sparked like the night sky, the blue mist formed her body and darkened at her horns and claws. Her eyes, the webbing of her wings, her tail blade, and the odd scale along her body and belly sparkled like silver stars. On both sides of her flanks, seven silver stars gleamed in a muted silver light. Once she was stable, she rose and gazed longingly after Neal and sighed steadily and whispered, her voice a mere fragment of what once was.

 _"Sometimes... I really hate this blessing... this_ _ **CURSE**_ _... For the first time in centuries not one but_ _ **TWO**_ _worthy males have arrived and I am unable to claim either... Still... maybe... Maybe it's enough that I am a part of their lives... Still... I would give anything just to hear someone say my name again..."_

As the mist dragon said this, the ghost quill started writing a flowing script on a page near the back of the Book. She heard the scratching and saw the quill and, yelping in both embarrassment and horror, she dispelled the quill and carved three slashes across the script before vanishing back into the Book.

The script had been a name. A name long forgotten by those of the world.

A name not heard since the first Forgers.

 _Genevieve._


	25. Plots and Lots Part 1

Hello again everybody. Nothing exciting going on here except some rain from Hurricane Nate. You know, the storm is a mixed blessing? On the one hand, no one in their right minds wants to get out and go camping or hunting in the rain thus the traffic down our road has been at a minimum. On the downside, I half expect what traffic there is will deepen the ruts and potholes in the road.

Still, I can't believe it's October. Feels like just yesterday was July and now time is just flying by. Isn't that the funny thing? When we're young time can't seem to pass by quick enough. Once we get older we realize just _how_ quickly time passes us by.

Halloween is almost upon us, then in November will bring the Fall Fast and Thanksgiving, and just a stone's throw away is Christmas. And then the New Year.

Well, time will always march on and as long as I'm able to I'll just keep on typing.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 24: Plots and Lots Part 1

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Vesuvius paced the halls of his chamber with obvious aggression. He had honestly never thought that such a small nuisance could transform into such a major pain in his tail. The human was small, weak, and socially inept yet _somehow_ he had managed to sway the opinions of not only the King and Queen but the Guardians and even the majority of the nobility. It hadn't helped that Ibikiir, fool that he was, felt obligated to share his collection of human pieces that he had requested and paid for, in _gems_ , to the other dragons of the noble classes and even the _commoners_!

The human armor, weapons, and other things were of such a unique sort that it sparked the primal desire of dragons to posess such rare treasures and display them as prominent fixtures of their homes!

Even Vesuvius was not immune to the pull of his instincts and glanced at his once marvelous home of antique paintings, tapestries, suits of dragon armor and felt that all of it lacked luster. Here he was, one of the most influential of dragons, and yet no one listened to him about the human.

It wasn't out of concern, no, he knew that if the human stepped out of line that he would be easy to deal with. It was the fact that the human had gotten involved with matters that he should _not_ have, coupled with both Lockjaw's and Ripper's incompetence, it had set him back more than he cared to admit and had cost him valuable time and gems.

Still... all living beings had their weaknesses. It was no secret (at least to him) the King and Queen were trying desperately to have a child and had finally been able to. The Queen may not show it outwardly but she was glowing with the knowledge that soon she would be a mother. The Guardians each had their respective weaknesses but one they all had in common was Spyro, the currently powerless purple dragon who's weakness was the Ancestors damned 'Terror of the Skies' Cynder.

He chuckled at the thought.

 _(Love. Such an interesting concept. Yet so vulnerable and easy to sever.)_

He and his brother were fully of the opinion that dragons needed only power to lead and not care about frivolous things like 'love'. He froze suddenly as he remembered something and a wicked grin creapt over his muzzle.

He'd just remembered that the human also had his own weaknesses. He _cared_ for others. Spyro and Cynder, of course, and Flame and his new love interest Ember, that cheetah who claimed he owed the human a life debt, the female wolf who ran the tavern he lived in, the people of the Slums (he refused to call it the 'Lower Residential'), and now, most recently, two young dragons who he had taken under his charge...

An idea struck him.

He still had options, contacts, and through his brother some knowledge of a few characters of rather shady origins. Soon, they will all see what the human is capable of.

 _(And I'll be right there ready to incinerate him..._ _ **personally**_ _...)_

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As Neal and Lyca walked through the market, he was continually amazed by the number of dragons who gave smiles and nodded to him. He guessed that the dragons trusted the Guardians and the King and Queen enough that, if they said he was no threat to them, they believed it. He chuckled inwardly and remembered how his Uncle Thomas, his Mom's oldest brother, never said even two words about the US Government and then he and Uncle Ted, his polar opposite twin, would always get into the rowdiest arguements every time they so much as glanced at each other.

Still though, it was good that most dragons no longer shied away or showed hostility towards him. Now, there were some dragon merchants who refused to deal with him, like the armorer, Titan, and a handful of Guards who watched him just a little closer than he considered polite like Arctis and his squad. For the rest though, they were all courteous, civil, and all to eager to learn about him, his species, his personal likes and dislikes.

In fact, as he and Lyca approached the cheetah who sold Neal the coffee beans, he lit up and set a basket on the table before him and smiled.

"Attorkor! Look here! Freshly brought in!" Neal nodded and glanced at the beans and then he thought of something.

"Look I never asked you this before but, what do the cheetahs do with these beans?" The cheetah chuckled.

"Our hunters and watchers chew them at night when they need to stay awake. Something about them just seem to help but... more than a few complain of sore jaws." Neal chuckled.

"Have you thought about grinding them?" The merchant shook his head, a bemused expression on his face.

"No. Besides, it's a little hard to chew powder, isn't it?" Neal nodded and then produced a grinder and a coffee pot.

"I actually owe you for showing me these beans. We humans have something in our world quite similar called coffee beans. The Arabs in the ancient times used coffee as a symbol of wealth, then the Europeans got a hold of it and made it popular with the common man and nowadays there isn't more than three-quarters of the human population who doesn't start their day off without having one or two cups of hot coffee." The cheetah gave him an astonished look and then looked back to the grinder and the pot and back to Neal.

"Attorkor... how do I-?" Neal showed him how to grind the beans, then filled the pot of water from a pump nearby and then, with the help of a friendly fire dragon, heated the pot and made a pot of hot coffee that once the merchant tried it he smiled.

"This might be just what the hunters need! Thank you Attorkor, very much." Neal smiled to him, created a few more coffee pots, grinders, and cups and then walked back to Lyca who stood there smiling.

"Helpful sort, aren't you?" He chuckled and nodded.

"Might be. Besides, I always believed that one good turn deserves another. Grandpa always said: 'Someone does something for you, always do your best to do something for them.' That's what I always do." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him and she smiled wolfishly.

"Affectionate as well? Looks like I chose my mate well." Neal nodded, enjoying the feeling of Lyca next to him.

"What can I say except that I'm really starting to like the idea of you and me being together." Lyca smiled and then pointed to a store.

"There's a wolf I know, name's Alf, he's the jewler who owns that shop. Now, fair warning, he's from the same clan as me so don't be surprised if he comes across as a little... _overprotective_. He's practically my brother." Neal nodded.

"So then, why a jeweler?" Lyca sighed.

"He's... well... I guess the term is 'runt'. He wasn't that big when he was born and never really took on the physical traits of males of my species. Not that that's a bad thing, not at all, he just, since he wasn't as strong or as quick physically, he decided to be quick with his mind and hands. He met a mole who taught him silver and gold smithing and then taught him gem cutting." Neal opened the door to the store and Lyca walked in and smiled as she thought about something.

"Nowadays, getting a mating band from Alf is almost a tradition in my clan now."

"Aye and a damn good tradition it is." Neal turned to see a studious looking wolf come from the back room and immediately break into a broad smile upon seeing Lyca.

"I would guess by your presense in my shop and the current subject of the conversation that you finally found someone who could keep up with you, eh Lyca?" Lyca blushed and gave a small nod and indicated Neal.

Alf removed the jewelers glasses from his nose and glanced at Neal and then took a sharp breath.

"By the Great Wolf... Lyca... Do you realize that-" Lyca nodded.

"Yes, I know he's a Maester. He's also the male I came to know and love." Alf glanced to Neal who felt Alf's eyes sizing him up with a frown and then nodded.

"Very well then. I will say this though, you hurt her, and Maester or not, I swear you'll regret it." Neal nodded calmly and gave a wry smile.

"From what I've learned of Lyca is that wolves always keep their word so I don't doubt you and given how I feel for her, I wouldn't blame you if you did." Alf seemed appeased by this, nodded and then smiled, obviously something had just occured to him.

"As it is a special case, I mean, it's not every day a wolf claims a Maester, let alone a human, as her mate. Instead of the standard fare, let me show you some of my private works." Neal glanced to Lyca who smiled and waited for Alf to unlock a small case to the side of the main display and lift off the false wood covering a glass case. Almost immediately Neal was stunned by the beauty of some of the pieces and Alf, noticing his surprise, smiled.

"Indeed. Being a Maester is all well and good but to craft pieces like _this_ you need to have been taught what I have been taught. Each piece has taken my full attention to detail and concentration to craft and create. Look well my friends because these treasures rarely see the light of day and _only_ as favors to my closest friends and most discerning of clients."

The designs, sizes, and types of jewelery varied extremely. The first piece that caught Neal's eye was a ring fitted with an emerald surrounded by saphire chips. Then he saw a ring that looked amazingly like a series of silver bands weaved around a gold core. However, it was the last piece that caught his eye. It was a silver ring, engraved with what looked like a series of Celtic knots encircling the ring and a decently sized diamond surrounded by ruby chips.

He indicated the ring to Alf who pulled it and then glanced to Lyca and then back to Neal.

"I also have a reversal pattern of this one. Here, what do you think?"

Neal examined the second ring which had the same Celtic knots but instead was a ruby surrounded by diamond chips. An excited glance from Lyca was all Neal needed to nod to Alf who smiled and then proceeded to take the measurement and then glace back to Neal.

Alright, so then, these matching rings, the private stock, that comes to about one-thousand, three-hundred eighty-seven gold." Neal glanced at Lyca who visually gulped at that price. Neal had expected something but still had no idea about the currency rate in this world and nodded. He reached into his coat, pulled out the gold scrip he carried around just in case, and Alf was all too happy to count it out and return the remainer of the scrip to him.

"I will have them adjusted and they should be ready by the end of the week." Neal nodded his thanks and he and Lyca left the store. As they walked down the street Lyca turned to him.

"Okay, you _do_ know that he probably overcharged you on those rings, the little-" Neal chuckled.

"A fair exchange actually. Besides, as far as I'm concerned, you are certainly worth it. Anyway, I think a few of his designs were just the inspiration I needed to create Spyro and Cynder's betrothal gifts. Besides, my commissions are doing well enough that I can afford to indulge a little... Good God did I honestly just say _that_?" Lyca glanced at him.

"Yes?" Neal shook his head.

"No you don't understand I just never, in all my wildest dreams ever thought I wouldn't be financially troubled. I mean, my work in the USCG was good as was cropdusting job but... huh... I just realized that doing what I had been doing back in my world, I would have never been able to buy a house... never would have been able to truly strike out on my own with a buisiness... I suppose I'm more indebted to Ignitus than I previously thought..."

"He brought me to this world to save my life and not just to bring a Forger back to the world, his actions laid the groundwork for me to come here... to meet you... to... fall in love with you... I just never imagined myself in this type of life..." Lyca smiled, embraced him, and then kissed him which attracted a few wolf whistles and more than a few laughs and smiles from the crowd.

"I suppose I should be thankful as well." Neal chuckled and gazed into Lyca's eyes.

"You know if this were some cheesy romance story, this would technically be the time the two lovers would break into a song and dance routine." Lyca smiled.

"I don't know exactly what that is but trust me, my singing voice is horrible unless you like howling at the full moon and my dancing is worse." Neal returned the smile.

"Same here. My singing voice could shatter windows and I actually hold the USCG record for most feet stepped on during a waltz." Lyca gained a thoughtful look.

"Oh, I don't know about that... when you were singing while helping rebuild Fen's shop you sounded alright to me." Neal waved his hand.

"Those were old sea shanties and story songs. I just can't come up with a song off the top of my head worth a damn. Then again, you didn't fall in love with me for my singing voice anyway." She smiled and nodded.

"True. I fell in love with _you_. Once it's official, we are going to have _lots_ of things to talk about." Neal chuckled.

"Guess that's just my lot in life, huh?"


	26. Plots and Lots, Part 2

Hey guys. I'm back with another chapter. Decided to get some typing done while waiting for people to show up to vote. Not that I'm expecting much as the day of the election is, coincidentally the first day of deer hunting season, not to mention the Natchitoches Air Show, and a few more popular events.

BTW, sorry for cutting the other chapter so short. I hadn't realized it was so short until I saw the word count when I uploaded it and mentally slapped myself. The chapter ideas were there and then suddenly I hit the proverbial brick wall at 90 mph. That's the thing I don't like about Wordpad, it simply doesn't have a word counter.

Oh well, at least I get some peace and quiet for a while. Unlike the big city centers, it's real, real quiet out here in the country.

Also, a big shout out to Darklord 82 who wrote me asking if he could use a few elements of my story in his own Spyro fanfic. The idea of the story is a good one so I decided to okay his using the requested elements.

Anyway, on with the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 25: Plots and Lots, Part 2

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The look on Spyro's face was priceless.

Spyro had returned with the purple gems not long after Neal and Lyca had returned and he had wasted no time inlaying the gems into the gift. Then, in one of those moments that you couldn't possibly believe could line up so perfectly, Spyro and Cynder had literally bumped into each other at the door to Neal's room and, as if on que, Lyca opened the door and Neal stood there smiling at the two dragons and motioned for them to enter.

Inside the room, on the desk, there were two boxes. Both were made of polished mahogany wood with bronze hinges and clasps. One was inlaid in silver, the other in gold. Neal motioned for the two heroes to come in and then motioned to the boxes.

"Spyro, Cynder, your commissions are finished. Cynder, your's is in the silver box and Spyro, your's is the other." Sparx flew through the air and examined the two boxes and then turned to Neal.

"So... who's going to open their box first?" Neal shrugged.

"Depends. I suppose we could flip a coin but I think it'd be better if they both open their boxes at the same time." Spyro glanced at Neal curious but then looked at Cynder and decided to go with it and walked to the gold inlaid box.

As the lids of the two boxes creaked open, both Spyro's and Cynder's eyes went wide and their jaws dropped as they beheld the finished results of what they had commissioned.

Spyro's gift to Cynder, the choker, bracers, and tail bracelet were made of pure silver, engraved with a series of Celtic knots that seemed to dance around the metal and all terminate at the facet that held a brilliantly polished violet gemstone that seemed to shine with lives all their own. Each piece was a work of art that was visually magnificent. Then, out of curiousity, he turned to see what Cynder had commissioned and his jaw dropped.

Cynder's box contained a silver pendant with the same design but instead of terminating at a gem, they spiraled around and each silver stand of the necklace was wrapped around a stange looking reddish-gold metal that was bewitching to see. The core of the pendant was a solid band of white metal and every so often, a small shaped piece of onyx could be seen. Sparx saw Spyro stunned expression and flew to his eyes level.

"Yo, Spyro? Buddy? You okay? Hellooooo?" Spyro shook his head for a second and then gazed at Cynder.

"C-Cynder what...?" Cynder smiled and slid her box over to him.

"I asked Neal to make this for you... Spyro... I... I love you, and I want to make my feelings known... Please... be my mate." Spyro glanced at the gift and then suddenly rushed forward and embraced Cynder.

"Yes, Cynder. Ancestors yes. I... you have no idea how badly I wanted to tell you the exact same thing. I just... I just wasn't sure how to go about doing it. I didn't know how to go about getting a betrothal gift and I just kept pushing it back... Heh, it's all thanks to Neal and his offer to create something for me that I was able to work up enough courage to have a gift created."

Spyro reached over and slid his box over to Cynder who's expression momentarily matched Spyro's previously stunned expression and then she smiled broadly in his embrace and surprised him by kissing him. Sparx, who was hovering by Neal, saw this and sighed.

"If I wasn't so happy for Spyro, I'd probably go find a corner and hurl." Neal chuckled.

"Now don't be trying to ruin their moment Sparx, besides, one day I'm pretty sure you'll find a nice girl to settle down with yourself. Follow your first instinct and be happy for your brother. Unless you have some objection to Cynder being his mate?" Sparx suddenly froze and glanced at Cynder who, having overheard Neal, narrowed her gaze until it felt as if she could cut through him with a glance and gulped before meekly turning.

"No objections." Cynder, satisfied, returned her gaze to Spyro and nuzzled against him. They remained like that for a moment before Neal cleared his throat.

"If you two would like to go ahead and try them on?" Spyro and Cynder nodded and started helping each other don the gift pieces. As Cynder helped Spyro fasten the pendant, she gazed at the design and then back to Neal.

"So what are these strange metals you instilled?" Neal grinned broadly and tapped them.

"A mole I helped with building a store sold me some rare red and white gold at a discounted price. I also got some polishing cloths from a jeweler in the city and set to work polishing those onyx pieces so that they shined when I installed them in their facets. I also accented the choker and bracers for Cynder with white gold as well to add another layer to them before installing the purple gems."

Spyro took a step back to examine how Cynder looked and he had the distinct impression that she was doing the same to him. After taking a moment, he looked to Neal and nodded.

"If you told me there was a way to make Cynder even more radiant, I have to say I wouldn't believe you. She was already beautiful to my eyes. The gifts just add to her beauty." Cynder nodded that she felt the same way and both thanked Neal for what he had done. Neal in return gave a gentle nod and then turned to Lyca who was looking through the Book and gazing at something that had been scratched out.

"Neal... I'm... I'm the only female in your life right?" Neal nodded.

"Of course you are Lyca. May I ask what brought this up?" Lyca pointed to the Book.

"Who's this Genevieve?" Neal gained a curious expression and crossed the floor to look at the Book while Sparx glanced between Spyro and Cynder who watched with equally confused expressions. Cynder glanced to Lyca and then nudged Spyro, spotting the ring that adorned her hand and also the similar one on Neal's as he examined the Book.

"Lyca, I honestly have no idea. Maybe it's a note left by a previous Forger? From the time before?" Lyca gave him a look as if judging his words and saw the genuine confusion in them and her expression softened.

"Maybe... but still... if there _was_ someone else, you'd tell me, right?" Neal sighed.

"There won't be anyone else, Lyca. Some humans are idiots in that they sleep around on their betrothed but not me. Once I fell for you, I swore off looking at any other female the same way I look at you. Hmm... maybe the Book knows?" Lyca glanced down at the Book, arms crossed.

"Okay Enchanted Book of Forging, who _exactly_ is this 'Genevieve'?" The quill appeared and hovered over the name for a moment, a single drop of ink fell from the tip on the name, making Neal more curious. He glanced at Lyca and then to Spyro and Cynder.

"In human mythology, enchanted books were often made by infusing someone's wisdom into a blank book..." He turned to the Book.

"Were you... I mean, _are_ you... Genevieve?" The quill moved over and slowly scratched one word.

 _'Yes.'_

Lyca gasped as did Spyro and Cynder and Neal stared at the Book, Genevieve, with a dumbfounded expression.

"How long have you been enchanted into this Book?" The quill flipped several pages, revealing a picture seemingly drawn of the quill's own volition.

A dragoness with midnight blue scales, silver horns, and seven silver stars on her broad flank sparkled. Every so often, it seemed like the picture moved and a few of the scales twinkled like starlight. The dragoness had her head down, looking away from the full moon in the background, and appeared to be... crying...

A dripping sound got Neal's attention and he saw the quill hovering over a blank page, ink slowly dripping from its tip and he realized that the _quill_ , the Book, and the dragon were the same... and she _was_ in fact _crying_. Slowly, gently, Neal placed his hand beside the drawing of the dragoness and traced the lines of her horns and face. He gave a glance to Lyca who nodded and he turned back to the Book.

"Genevieve... How long have you been in this Book?" The quill lowered and started writing.

 _'I do not know exactly... but I DO know it has been centuries. I am... I_ _ **was**_ _... the daughter of Melquiar, the last great dragon Forger. Back then... there were more of us... Forge magic wasn't the rarity it is now... There were more of us, and we were all like a... a family...'_

Genevieve willed the pages to turn and then a new image appeared, eight dragons crowded around a young dragoness, the _same_ dragoness on the previous image.

 _'My powers... my abilities... everyone had such high hopes for me but... I was a disappointment... I didn't possess even a fifth of the power my Father wielded. When Malefor turned to darkness... My Father and the greatest Forgers of the world banded together to try and hide the Forge magic away... Eventually, it was decided to send away the magic entirely to another dimension... for that to work though... they needed several things... a vessel to recieve the magic... a catalyst to begin the spell... blood to open the portal... and blood to close it again.'_

The page turned to a sight that made Neal's jaw drop.

The image was of three humans. A man, a woman, and a small infant craddled tightly in the mother's arms. Around the three humans were several dragons. However, the expression on the man's face was desperation, _hope_ , not fear. The mother had relief, and gratitude as her expression. The dragons showed a mixture of sadness, resentment, but above all else, absolution.

 _'The three humans you see were the last of a small village that long ago fell to disease. The Elder dragons saw that humans, who had once feared us, were growing bolder and created a plague to reduce their numbers and make them fear us again. However, their plan backfired, starting a war that saw many dragons, and many more humans, slain. The humans were desperate for a cure. The three survivors came to the Forger Citidel to bargain. Their lives for their son's.'_

A picture appeared showing the human infant, but a strange aura surrounded him.

 _'It was around this time the Forgers realized what they had to do. Malefor was growing stronger and most likely wouldn't be stopped until after the Forgers were vanquished. So, the Forgers acknowledged the human's request and cured their son from the affliction the dragons had unjustly unleashed upon their species. However, the Forgers did not take the parents lives but cured them as well.'_

 _'When the human male had asked why, he was told that his son possessed an interesting aura. One that showed he had great potential for mana. In short, it was a human that the Forgers required to ensure the Forger legacy. The Forgers had healed the human male and female and told them of Malefor's evil and what he was doing. They told them that they were going to prevent Malefor from gaining their powers but needed a vessel for the magic.'_

The page flipped again, showing the infant in the middle of a large seven-pointed star with a hammer, sword, and book etched into it. The parents watched on as several dragons surrounded the glyph.

 _'The child was the vessel. Into him the strongest Forgers, including my Father, poured their magic into him. Then, the elders used blood of seven of the eight dragon Forgers to open the portal to the new dimension. The baby was set down on a grassy field just outside of a large castle town and was found by a farmer and his wife who took him to a village called 'Glasgow'. The elders then used my Father's blood to seal the portal.'_

The image shifted again, this time it showed Genevieve, looking down at her Father's body. Nearby was a Book.

 _'The elders then decided that even the weakest of the Forgers could not be chanced to fall into Malefor's claws. In utter anguish, Mothers smashed their own eggs and killed their own younglings before throwing themselves off the highest peak in the mountain range we had called home. But not me... I was unmated, I believe the human term is 'virgin'. The Guardians needed me for something else... To become an anchor, a Guide, a Keeper for the Forger, whoever he or she was, when they finally returned.'_

The page turned and showed Neal standing in Avalar on the day of his arrival, Book floating alongside him. It also showed Danny, in Darkfort prison, the same Book floating beside him.

 _'It was not uncommon for Forgers to link their spell books together in case one needed another's design for some reason. I was... ensconced... into my Father's Book in an effort to spare me the same fate shared by my family... and then I was put to sleep... but I was not truly asleep... I dreamed... I saw... I_ _ **felt**_ _everything... But it was always as though chains held me back from venturing further. And then you came, and I awoke. For the first time I was seeing the world around me, not just visions I gleaned from whoever was closest to where I was hidden... You and your brother... you are Forgers, I am your Book... I can never be anything more...'_

The pages flipped back to Genevieve crying, alone and forgotten. Neal then placed a hand on the Book.

"Can you manifest your form?"

As if in answer, blue mist rose from the Book and congealed into the dragoness from the Book. She stood roughly the same height as Neal and slowly opened her eyes revealing what almost looked like two pools of liquid gold. The odd starlight scales along her body shimmered in the light all the way across her body. As Neal examined the dragoness before him, he suddenly felt a hot flush across his face as he soon realized that, almost without being aware of it, he was staring at her flank where the scales formed the pattern of seven stars. Lyca chuckled good-naturedly at his embarrassment. The dragoness gave a long sigh before she gazed balefully at Neal and spoke, her voice an echo but still sounding like a chorus of chimes.

 _"I can. But not for long. The drain on me is... too much..."_ Neal gazed along her back, examining her scales as did Lyca, Spyro, and Cynder. He reached out to touch one of the shining scales in her back and she gasped and recoiled. Neal immediately looked alarmed.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you-" Genevieve shook her head slowly.

 _"You didn't hurt me it's just... my form... though it looks resilient... it's... sensative... I suppose that even thought I am bound to this Book, I still feel outside influences."_ Neal gave Genevieve a small smile which she returned and then gazed to Lyca.

 _"I only serve as the Forger's guide. As his chosen mate, you have to look out for him where I cannot."_ Lyca nodded to her and then glanced to the Book.

"You are beautiful, though. Maybe... maybe there is a way to free you?" Genevieve sighed.

 _"To what end? I was never destined to find a mate... have... children of my own... All those I cared about died that day in the mountains or passed away as I lay sealed and hidden. Such fantasies and wishes would be pointless. If I can be of assistance in any way, let me be as this. Sharing my knowledge and the knowledge of my ancestors with the Forger."_ Neal sighed and then looked to Genevieve and Lyca.

"I thank you for your help Genevieve." The dragoness gave him a mirthful glance and stuck her tongue out playfully.

 _"Just Eve, please Forger. That was the nickname my Mother gave me. Only my Father called me Genevieve. Besides, I can see your mind, remember? Although I have no idea what this 'rom-com anime' you're thinking of is, I can assure you our relationship won't be like that. Still though, I suppose if you wanted to-"_ Neal suddenly turned red with embarrassment and shook his head.

"No thanks. No need to explain it." Eve gave a smile to both Neal and Lyca. Suddenly though, there was a tremendous crash from below and immediately Eve stood ramrod straight, her eyes wide.

 _"Intruders! Neal! Domino and Rivet are in danger!"_

Lyca did a quick turn and, with a feral snarl on her face, she all but bounded out the door as Spyro and Cynder went after her. Neal grabbed the pistol belt and M1911 from the sea chest by his bed and followed suit. Eve snarled at the malevolent force she had detected and again cursed her inability to answer the challenge posed by this presense. At that thought though, a 'pop' sounded from behind her and she turned to see a sealed section of the Book open to reveal something incredible enough to make her gasp with both amazement and joy.

 _"He's already that powerful... Hmm... He is not only a Forger... but what the ancient humans knew as Arch?"_ She suddenly remembered something.

 _"The human child's Father... he wasn't just another human... he was that last Archmage of the Humans!"_

The sealed section of the Book, hidden to all, even her, had been a joining of dragon and human spellcraft. A dragon's Forge tome melded with a human Archmage's spellbook.

And now Neal was able to use it...

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Okay everyone, I hope you like the chapter and please let me know what you think. As for Eve, I'm still trying to piece her together so I'm wracking my brain trying to find ideas that fit. I'm not going to try a 'love triangle' or one of those Japanese romantic comedy animes where one guy likes two girls and is unable to decided between them. So, while I try to figues out her place, I'm just going to have her as a Guide for now.

Now then, just let me know what you think about the background I gave and Neal's ancestry revealed. Please leave a review to tell me what you think. Now then, I have to figure out what in blazes has happened. XD

Until next time, please review!


	27. Forger and Mage

Okay, finished one chapter and decided to go ahead while I was on a roll and keep the momentum going.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE, ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 26: Forger and Mage

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Neal vaulted down the stairs, weapon ready. However, what he saw stunned him. Fenrir lay against the counter, a blow to the side of his head had wounded him but he was still conscious. He gave a pained look to Neal and then motioned to the back. Running to the kitchen, he found the Tavern's cook dead on the floor, a dagger through his chest and the back door swinging wildly. He ran outside just in time to see Spyro and Cynder take off into the air and Lyca's tail vanish behind a corner.

He quickly used some mana to create a flare gun in his hand and fired it directly upwards. A few days ago he had shown the flare gun and flares to Skylar, Flame, and Terra's squad and told them what they were used for. The flare arced upwards into the air and exploded with a loud bang, a glowing red star in the daytime.

Not wasting more time, he took off and rounded the corner where Lyca went and saw her running down an alley. As he ran, he heard a roar and glanced up to see Spyro and Cynder overhead. Spyro looked down to Neal, his voice a full bellow over the regular voice he used.

"I see them! Five wolves, black and white fur, leather armor, wooden clubs, and masks! They're heading towards the Wall!" Neal nodded and doubled his pace, pumping his legs for all he could. Moments later, he heard more roaring and saw Terra's squad as well as Flame making a bee-line for Spyro and Cynder and then Skylar and Hunter came up alongside him.

"What's happened?" Neal told them and Skylar growled angrily.

"Right, we'll run ahead and cut them off! No offense Neal but you're not fast enough to match a cheetah in full sprint." Neal nodded and urged them on. However, he felt angry that he couldn't run as fast as they could and that the alley was too narrow to Forge his motorcycle. He just had to hope the wolves hadn't anticipated how close he was with his friends.

However, as he put a little more effort into his legs, he saw a shadow from behind and glanced to see, of all dragons, Magma coming up behind him and grabbing him in his foreclaws. As Neal struggled, Magma growled.

"Hold still, blasted human, or I may drop you! If you want to rescue your charges then calm down and hang on!" Neal was momentarily stunned by Magma's words but then relaxed and uttered thanks to which Magma grunted.

"You may be a human, but you are now a citizen of Warfang, and it is my sworn duty to assist and protect the people whenever and however I can. I'm just doing my job." Still though, Neal couldn't help but wonder if that was the only reason Magma was helping him.

As Magma carried him, Neal could tell they were getting closer to the kidnappers. In fact, he had only bee hanging on for mere moments before Magma grouped up with Terra and then, ignoring their stunned expressions, pointed with his snout to the side of the wall where the aquifer was located. As they closed in, Magma looked to Terra and the others.

"They must be planning to go through the Aquifer. Sergeant Terra, take your squad over the wall and try to catch them in case they come out on the other side. We'll try to catch up to them over here." Neal glanced at Magma.

"You know the layout of the Aquifer?" Magma nodded.

"That was my post when Malefor attacked the city a few years ago. It wasn't the front gate so not much damage was done but the grublins and other dark creatures still got in. I had to memorize the layout of the entire system in the event of another attack." Neal then thought of something and his voice became worried.

"How easy would it be for a group of black-furred wolves to slip in and remain hidden while we searched for them or how easy would it be for them to set up an ambush?" Magma frowned.

"Far too easy. The Aquifer is poorly lit by old light crystals and there are many twists and turns that follow the routes the moiles dug through the rock to try and find the underground river that supplies the city with fresh water. A lot of those older unused tunnels have collapsed over the centuries and there are a lot of sharp corners one can hid around." Neal sighed.

"It's the _Grand Mariner Bay_ all over again..." Magma looked to him curiously.

"What was that?"

"Another of my USCG missions. Terrorists captured a large oil tanker, and tried to sail it into Miami Harbor. Six teams of USCG officers as well as three squads of Marines and a section of SEAL Team Two was deployed to either capture or sink the vessel. Since causing a large oil spill just outside Miami was not very desirable, that left boarding the ship, taking out the hostiles, and stopping the ship from entering port. We lost eight men on that ship to ambushes set up down every corridor in the ship but we finally disabled the engines and brought her to a stop. However, due to the seriousness of the attack, the entire thing was kept top secret to avoid a panic." Magma spared a glance to Neal and then spotted the entrance to the Aquifer.

"You know how to handle yourself in those kinds of conditions?" Neal nodded.

"Yeah, close spaces, SOP is put a shotgun in the lead and use fire, or any kind of light source to flush out any hostiles in hiding." Magma nodded slowly and then landed so that Neal could let go of him. Once on the ground, Neal holstered his pistol and created a shotgun which he loaded and prepped by fixing a bayonet to the muzzle and then glancing back to Magma and then looking to see Skylar, Hunter, Lyca, and Flame already there. Lyca was furious, her eyes glowing with rage.

"Those fatherless curs ran into the Aquifer! Neal, if you find them before I do, don't kill them, yet. I want them to _pay_ for what they did to my place and poor Holt!" Neal nodded.

"Unless they turn over Rivet and Domino without a fight, I can't say much for their chances. I'm personally riled enough to put them six feet under regardless." Magma glanced at him, a strange expression in his eyes.

"You _truly_ do care for those children, don't you? Even though they aren't your's?" Neal nodded.

"They may not be my kids by blood but I still think of them as my son and daughter. My grandpa always said never mess with a man's family. Family is one line that if crossed, there is no turning back from. People may forgive a slight against themselves or destruction of property, but a threat against family? To a human, that is unforgivable." Neal checked his weapon and growled.

"If those gutless curs have harmed one scale on _either_ Domino or Rivet, I swear I am going to burn them alive and salt the earth where their ashes fall!" Skylar and Hunter gazed at Neal, somewhat shocked at the venom in his voice but they understood.

As they entered the Aquifer, almost immediately they came to a split in the structure with three tunnels. Neal halted and looked to Magma who glanced at each of the three openings.

"Which way, Captain?" Magma glanced to Neal and then to Spyro, Cynder, and the others with them, then returned his gaze to the tunnel entrances.

"The tunnel to the left leads to the old ruins that Spyro and Cynder traversed during the war. The middle was actually a mine the moles excavated looking for rare metals during Warfang's construction, it decends down into the earth and eventually comes into contact with the underwater river that feeds the Aquifer. The right tunnel... once upon a time, it wrapped around the city inside the wall and was rumored to link into the Academy, the Temple, and the Castle as a sort of escape tunnel for the Guardians, Instructors, and Royal Family of yore." Neal glanced to the tunnel.

"And now?" Magma shook his head.

"I'm not sure. I know the tunnel collapsed over three centuries ago but to be honest, the Guard never patrols here. I assume that, like all things, time must have either created weaknesses or exposed them to others outside the wall. The was a steel gate built inside the tunnel after the collapse to prevent such a thing, but I don't know if it's intact." Neal sighed.

"Looks like the only way forward is to split up." Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx went towards the left tunnel. As they approached the entrance, Spyro stopped and looked back to Neal.

"Cynder, Sparx, and I will head this way. Neal, if we find Domino and Rivet, we'll protect them." Neal nodded his thanks and then glanced to see Hunter and Skylar moving to the center.

"Magma, the center tunnel goes straight all the way?" Magma nodded.

"Not technically, but yes it is straight. But it has levels that spiral down into the ground. Distance speaking, it's the longest of the Aquifer tunnels. The right tunnel is the shortest thanks to the steel barrier and the collapse but it has at least one branch before the barrier." Neal turned to Skylar and Hunter.

"Lyca, Magma and I will take the right tunnel." Hunter nodded.

"Indeed, that seems the wisest choice. No wolf, even under ideal circumstances, can outrun a cheetah. Certainly not pulling two dragons who will likely be fighting them every step of the way. We'll check the center tunnel and then if we don't find them, we'll double back and assist you." Neal nodded and then looked to Lyca and Magma who nodded in turn and started for the right tunnel.

The air in the tunnel smelled damp, not like mildew and fungus but rather like the wind after a heavy rain. It somehow helped Neal focus as he went down the tunnel. However, just as they came around a shallow corner, the enchanted gem lights, which were already dim to begin with, sputtered and died out. Magma wasted no time and created a flame and Neal created an old kerosene lantern to pierce the darkness. When he lowered the globe around the little flame and adjusted it to where it was at the brightest, Magma let his fire go out and Lyca placed her hands on her hips and looked at him sternly.

"Did you _know_ that these crystals would go out?" Magma shook his head.

"Hey, don't blame me! Those crystals have been lighting this passage since long before my great-grandfather was even a twinkle in my great-great-grandmother's eyes. It was only a matter of time the ancient lights failed." Neal nodded.

"He's right. Eventually all things made by mortal hands will fail. We have a light source now, so we can press on." Lyca still moved closer to Neal and the lantern as they went further down the tunnel.

They hadn't gone very far by Neal's mind when they reached a part where the crystals were still lit but looked as if they were going to go out at any moment. It was here that the tunnel split into two. Magma, without missing a beat started for the left tunnel and with his tail motioned for them to take the right.

However, no sooner were they past the entrance to the branch when a series of metal clanks echoed from behind them and Magma's surprised voice shouting as a heavy metal portcullis dropped from the cieling and slammed into the ground. Then, laughter sounded from deeper in the tunnel and from the shadows, the five wolves who had abducted Domino and Rivet emerged, triumphant sneers on their faces. One wolf in the middle had a particularly nasty grin and gave a harsh laugh before drawing a sword.

"You have _no_ idea how difficult it was to get you down here _Übermann_. I must say, your charges put up one heck of a struggle." Neal leveled his shotgun at the wolves, his face morphed from neutrality to an angry glare.

"You had better not have hurt them or so help me-" The wolf flipped the sword and set it point down and rested on the handle.

"Perish the thought. They aren't hurt at all. Well, not yet anyway. You see... we were hired by certain elements to find your weakness, which we did. However, a second interested party paid us _double_ the original amount to deliver them to a representative of the interested party outside the city." Neal suddenly felt his stomach drop and behind him he heard Lyca growl angrily and then heard a groan from where Magma was. Recovering, he eyed the wolf.

"Who did this?" The wolf shrugged.

"The first customer, no idea, it was all done through messengers. The second though... he was an atlawa traitor who works for a certain dragon... I believe his name was Axian or something like that..." Neal paled and suddenly felt weak. The wolf smiled.

"Indeed. According to our messenger, he is _very_ interested in seeing _you_ again. He sends his cordial invitations to his fortress in Dante's Freezer along with his assurances that, if you show up and surrender without a fight, the young ones will not be harmed. Although... I haven't really known Axian to be one to keep his word too often." Neal scowled angrily and his grip on the shotgun tightened. The wolf noticed this and waggled a finger at him.

"I don't think you need to do that human. You see... while I don't know the identity of the first customer, I _do_ know his messenger. A certain fire dragon currently wondering how in the world his plan could have gone so far astray." Lyca glanced back to where Magma had been caught and then glanced to Neal who's own anger had grown.

Strangely though, the flame in the lantern seemed to brighten and dim with Neal's breathing rate. She glanced at Neal and was suddenly shocked to see his eyes shift from dark green to vibrant emerald green.

Neal was only vaguely aware of what he was doing. He was taking slow steady breaths all the while the mana inside him was building up. His body temperature was rising, almost to the point he almost felt his flesh was burning but there was oddly no pain. Still holding both the shotgun and the lantern, he lifted them both up towards the wolves. Then, the flame in the lantern flared and turned from orange to bright blue with green undertones. The wolves glanced at one another unsure and the leader lifted the sword and pointed it at Neal.

"Very well then human! We'll just have to deliver you to Axian in pieces!"

Neal then took the lantern and flung it at the ground. The glass globe shattered, the fuel catching the flame and creating a massive blue-green flame before the wolves as Neal hefted the shotgun and growled angrily, his voice echoing and haunting.

 _"No. I will find my children._ _ **You**_ _however, will pay for the lives you have taken and those you have harmed."_

The flames suddenly formed a tendril and shot towards Neal's shotgun, twisting and twirling around the barrel and then swirling around Neal's hands and then infusing itself into the weapon he held pointed at them and released his breath.

 _"Flame..._ _ **Shot!**_ _"_ He pulled the trigger.

The first thing Lyca saw was a flash of fire from the barrel as the slug exited the weapon. However, the slug was wreathed in the blue-green flames as it flew towards the group of wolves who tried in vain to avoid it but when the slug was just in front of the wolves, Neal then blinked and gave a command.

 _"Burst."_

The slug exploded in a rainbow of flames lashing out at the black furred wolves, setting their fur on fire and pursueing them howling as they tried to escape the attack. The leader ofthe group was completely consumed by the flames and Lyca watched in horror as the flames devoured everything, clothes, fur, flesh, muscle, bone.

The sword the wolf had held melted into a pool of steel as soon as the flames touched him. The wolf had only screamed once before the flames destroyed him. The rest of the wolves suffered the same fate, allbeit, because they were running, the flames persisted longer, seemingly taking their time as their targets were reduced to ash.

The heat from the flames was so intense the standing water in the tunnel flashed to steam and the remaining crystal lamps cracked and burst. Metal fittings along the walls and roof melted, dripping down in red-hot glowing streams. Stones along the walls cracked with a sound akin to windows breaking. Spiders, flies, and other insects shriveled up and poofed as they turned to ash. The wolves running back and forth spread the flames around yet they never leapt from the wolves to the structure.

When the last wolf collapsed in a pile of ashes, the flame where the lantern had shattered returned to a soft warm orange glow. Behind them, the portcullis started glowing and Lyca turned to see Flame trying desperately to cut through the metal while Terra and her group along with Spyro and Cynder watched over a slumped and disheartened Captain Magma. Neal gave another deep sigh and lowered the weapon.

 _"Release."_

The flames died down from the piles of ashes and the temperature dropped back to what it had been before the fight. Neal's eyes returned to their normal color and he glanced around confused as to what was going on.

Neal spared a glance to see their expressions before his eyes lost focus and he collapsed, his body landing heavily against Lyca as she called his name.


	28. Sins of the Past

Alright folks, back again with another update. So just sit back, relax, and don't be afraid to leave a little review at the bottom if you feel so inclined. Now then, on with the show!

Also, sorry about the typo in the previous chapter. I wrote the name incorrectly as my tablet was offline and I couldn't look at my messages.

So, again, a shout out to Deathruler862 who asked to use a few of my story elements in his own fanfiction, which I agreed he could do.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 27: Sins of the Past

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Spyro marched down the halls to the Guardian Chambers, Cynder following behind him, and behind her a procession of dragons surrounding a bound Magma and Lyca carrying Neal's/Eve's Book. There were several things that the young purple needed to know the answers to, some he didn't want to learn but he knew that they needed to be exposed. So many things had been revealed in the past few hours.

Magma's involvement in the kidnapping of Domino and Rivet.

The realization about Neal's heritage.

The power that Neal demonstrated in the tunnel.

The atrocities committed by the Ancient Dragon Council.

All of this needed to be addressed before the next step could be taken. Spyro knew that once Neal awoke, he was going to need help. A lot of help.

As they walked forth, a soft gold light came from the Book and Eve's form appeared, stunning several onlookers. Spyro glanced to her and she nodded.

 _"I have sent word to Neal's brother about the situation. As of yet though he is in no position to assist as of yet."_ Spyro nodded and then sighed.

"And Neal?" Eve shook her head.

 _"Still unconscious. What he did... I have no idea how powerful that spell was... I mean, I have the spellbook of the last Archmage inside the Book but having never seen an example of that type of magic I'm at a loss."_ Cynder glanced to her and then to Lyca and smiled.

"We'll figure something out hopefully." Magma overheard this and scoffed.

"You are all fools. Did you not see what the human _did_? He _**incinerated**_ those five kidnappers with some form of unknown magic! He is a danger to himself and to others and must be put down-" He was cut off abruptly as both Lyca and Eve approached and, although she was merely an apparition, Eve held a claw to his throat and Magma audibly gulped.

 _"Speak such things again and they_ _ **will**_ _be the last words you utter, I swear on the lives of my Ancestors!"_ At that moment though, General Infernon arrived and immediately gasped at seeing Magma trussed up like a chicken.

"Sergeant Terra what is the meaning of this?" Terra straightened her posture and saluted to the General.

"Sir, Captain Magma has been arrested in connection to the abduction of the dragonlings Domino and Rivet. By the admission of the kidnappers themselves, Magma acted as the messenger for an as yet unnamed party looking for chinks, weaknesses, in Neal's armor. He orchestrated the abduction and then led Neal into what was supposed to be an ambush in which he would kill Neal for 'executing upstanding citizens' and claim all the glory." Terra gave a dark glance to Magma and then returned her gaze to Infernon.

"It didn't turn out like that though sir. The children were then given to another party, this one working for the traitor, Axian, and spirited the children to Dante's Freezer. The kidnappers betrayed Magma and locked him away while they contrived to capture and bring the Forger to Axian." Infernon glowered at Magma but spoke to Terra.

"Is there any additional evidence other than word of mouth? Did any of the kidnappers survive?" Terra shook her head.

"No sir, that's why we're heading to the Guardian Chambers to use the Pool of Visions and figure out the truth. Plus, there are other more... pressing issues we need to figure out the truth about." Infernon's expression changed to a curious one.

"What sort of issues?" Eve turned to see Infernon who's jaw dropped when he saw her. Eve ignored his expression and became serious.

 _"Issues that have remained lost to history for too long. Within my memories is the truth about so many things in dragon lore and I intend to bring them to light."_ Infernon recovered and nodded.

"Well, this matter with Magma's guilt or innocence concerns me so I'll accompany you anyway but I'm interested in these truths you speak of." Spyro had stopped but now turned to Infernon and spoke, his voice flat.

"If you're coming with us then so be it." Infernon glanced at Spyro and then to Cynder but fell in alongside Terra and the Guards.

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Spyro and the others stood before the Guardians as well as the King and Queen as Terra listed out the charges against Magma. Curiously, Vesuvius was absent but several more noble dragons had arrived. Every dragon had different expressions on their faces as the charges were read aloud. Some held disbelief, some shock, most seemed disinterested, but more than a few openly snarled at either Magma's misdeeds or the fact that a commoner like Terra was bringing such charges against a senior officer _and_ a noble.

Some of the disinterested ones actually whispered to others where Vesuvius was in all this.

Then, as Terra finished, one of the furious nobles who often backed Vesuvius and Magma rose and snarled.

"Those charges are obviously fabrications! There is no evidence that Captain Magma is involved anywhere in this! Besides, in _my_ opinion, perhaps the young dragons finally realized the folly of living as wards of a _human_ and decided to leave. Anyway, it is my understanding the human _killed_ the five 'supposed' kidnappers? Where is _he_ then? Why isn't _he_ on trial for murder?"

 _"Because he is resting from fighting that ambush and he is exhausted."_ Eve's Book burst open in Lyca's arms and Eve immediately resolved into her form and eyed the noble who had spoken.

 _"To speak of a Forger so is to mean great disrespect. I will not tolerate such disrespect of someone who has done no harm to the innocent and in fact has done nothing but good for the city!"_ The noble fell silent in shock and immediately Volteer rose, asking questions so fast that no one could keep up until Cyril coughed.

"To state Volteer's first question in a manner which all can understand: Who are you? _What_ are you?" Eve turned to him and inclined her head with respect.

 _"My name, Guardians, is Genevieve. As for what I am, I_ _ **was**_ _once a dragon. I was the daughter of Melquiar, a name that should still be recognized by some of you versed in history."_ Volteer rose and, taking several breaths, nodded.

"Melquiar was the last Grand Forger of the Dragons. According to the record, he had only one child, Genevieve, who was hoped to be a prodigy but turned out to be average. Are you truly _her_?" Eve nodded which in turn got Queen Tianis' attention.

"How have you survived for so long? All records stated that Genevieve had perished with her Father during Malefor's first uprising." Eve nodded.

 _"That's what the survivors recorded, most likely. They were likely either too ashamed or too frightened to record the truth."_ King Altonis glanced to her.

"Ashamed? Of what?"

 _"The truth, Your Majesties. A truth that has been forgotten ever since I was sealed into this Book and tasked with aiding the Forger when he or she returned to this world. Sending the magic away to another realm was indeed denying it to Malefor, but it was also a slight against dragonkind. My Father and other Forgers felt that dragonkind was no longer worthy of reaping the benefits of Forge magic."_ A noble growled.

"What do you mean, 'no longer worthy'? Who did you Forgers think you were?" Eve turned to him.

 _"I was little when it happened, but I remember every detail of that day. The day when my Father Forged his last materials for the Ancient Council. It was the day the Ancestors decided that there was a race that didn't deserve to live. The day they condemned the humans of this world to extinction."_ Several dragons coughed in surprise and the Guardians looked to one another and then back to Eve. Constance, eyeing her daughter, spoke up.

"Can you prove this?" Eve nodded and turned to Lyca.

 _"Place my Book by the Pool of Visions. Do not fear of damaging it as it was enchanted to be completely waterproof and indestructable. A gift... from the last_ _ **human**_ _Archmage."_ Several nobles protested but they were silenced by a glance from the King.

"You have permission to approach. Let us see what you have seen."

Lyca set the Book on the edge of the Pool and the waters immediately glowed a deep blue. Mist swirled up from the Book and began to congeal into the shapes of several dragons. Judging by Volteer's look of amazement, he recognized most of them from his archives.

"The original Grand Council of Warfang." Constance hushed him as the forms finished congealing, and then a booming voice sounded from one of the shapes.

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"Councilor Braquine, what is the meaning of this summons? As you know, I cannot leave the Academy for very long so please, be brief." One of the shapes nodded.

"I understand your fears, Councilor Aldemire. But this matter requires our undivided attentions. It is a... delecate matter of which Councilor Caldinar and I have been forced to witness." Another shape spoke up.

"What is this matter? For goodness sake _speak_!" The image of Councilor Braquine nodded sadly.

"Very well then. As you all know, there is a human settlement close to the wolf settlement of Altalse. Recently, I flew over the settlement after a wonderful hunt and the most shocking thing happened. One of the humans on the ground raised one of his hands in the air and... _waved_ at me." There was a growl from Aldemire.

" _That's_ what this is about?! You call an emergency summons because a human _**waved**_ at you as you flew overhead?!" Then there was a cough from Caldinar.

"Not just that. Yesterday, while I was sunning myself in the field outside the city, I felt something on my foreleg and was shocked to see a human spawn _touching_ me! It was... _petting_ me as if I were some beast that wanted its affection!" There was a stunned gasp from three of the figures.

"The nerve of those things!"

"Indeed!"

"What should we do?" Braquine nodded.

"In the days long past, humans feared and respected us because of our powers. They _knew_ who the dominant species was. Now, they have grown used to us. They no longer fear us. Unless we do something about this, they will only grow bolder until they think that _they_ should be the dominant species!"

Councilor Aldemire glanced around.

" _What_ are the lot of you speaking about? The humans are no threat! Councilor Melquiar, surely you do not go along with this?" Melquiar, Eve's Father, shook his head.

"No. The humans have always been good to us. They challenge us Forgers to push ourselves. In all honesty, the challenge is refreshing. Humans have a rather unique way of going about things. The perservere, they improvise, they learn, they overcome. They may not be our physical or magical equals but they are our _mental_ equals." Aldemire nodded.

"Indeed. Humans are as smart, or as incompetant, as the best and worst of dragonkind. If we but permitted them to learn more, they may yet be of great value to our race. As allies, and as help. Stone from human quarries has already been used in the city's construction. Like it or not, human hands helped build part of this city." Braquine growled angrily at Aldemire.

" _NO!_ We cannot allow these... these _humans_ to live, to thrive! We must supress them, we must not allow them to challenge us!" At that moment, one of the figures who hadn't spoken coughed.

"There might be a way... We all know of Dragon Flu, correct? What if the humans could contract it somehow? There is a dragoness, she knows all about sickness, disease, afflictions. She might be able to use her magic to modify a... 'host' who has the sickness to be able to spread it to humans." Braquine then smiled.

"And if the humans want to be cured, they must acknowledge us as superior and bow down to us! Sarvax that's brilliant!" Aldemire made a choking sound.

"Are you _serious_?! What next then, ensuring only submissive bloodlines are allowed to procreate? Demand that any who show dominance or leadership qualities be sacrificed to us? Why not just enslave them and make them worship us as gods?! Then again why stop there? Why not infect the moles, the wolves, the cheetahs, the atlawa, the apes, and the canines while we're at it?!" Braquine chuckled.

"I _knew_ you had a mind somewhere in that skull Aldemire! That's brilliant thinking! The human mind, despite all evidence, is a feeble thing. They need to be guided, instructed, Naturally to avoid infecting the entire species several settlements need to be avoided like, heh, a plague. These settlements will be the survivors, we will announce that the dragons have discovered a cure for their affliction, and then only those who swear loyalty to us shall be cured while the rest die off. It's brilliant!" Aldemire's mouth moved but nothing came out. Braquine then gazed around at the Council.

"I have made the motion, do I have a second?"

Sarvax seconded.

Then Caldinar. Then Naristyx. Darnik, Gorisan, and Loquix also accented.

Only Aldemire and Melquiar didn't accent. Braquine smiled.

"Then by majority vote of seven to two in favor, Sarvax, contact this friend of yours and find a host who has the dragon flu." Aldemire sighed.

"This is going to bite us in the tails you know? The humans _are_ intelligent. Sooner or later they'll put the pieces together and when that happens blood will spill." Braquine laughed.

"Maybe human blood but certainly not dragon blood. Humans cannot possibly match us." Melquiar, who had been silent, then spoke.

"I am putting this council on notice then. If you proceed with this plot, the Forgers will have nothing to do with it and I will resign from the Council." Aldemire nodded.

"I shall resign as well. I have a mate and three children I shall have to face for this." Braquine nodded.

"Your resignations are noted and accepted. Now then, shall we continue onto more pressing matters. We must decide which settlements to spare from the flu so that we'll have enough humans to rebuilt the species once this all blows over. Also, as per Aldemire's idea, work on plans in the event of a mole, cheetah, wolf, ape, or canine uprising. We must secure our species place as the dominant race."

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The vision from Eve's memory faded, leaving all the dragons assembled in a state of shock. Even Volteer, who had been muttering questions to memorize them, fell silent with shock and horror as the impact of what had transpired sunk in. Leviathan was the first Guardian to recover his wits and glanced to Volteer.

"What do the archives say about the Ancient Council?" Volteer glanced to him and sighed.

"The archives state that all council members, with the exception of Aldemire and Malquiar, were killed during Malefor's uprising. However, Braquine and Sarvax were said to have been slain by humans during a short but bloody war that left almost three dozen dragons dead. It was from this conflict that stories of human brutality first surfaced. There... there is no record of this meeting in the council archives anywhere." Eve nodded.

 _"Because after the slayings of Braquine and Sarvax at the hands of humans, the rest of the council, grief stricken at what they had done, recalled Aldemire and then with his vote, struck the meeting from the archives. They didn't want their descendants to know what their part was in the event humanity recovered and forgave. But they never did."_ Eve glanced around to everyone in the chamber.

 _"The Forger, Neal Foster, is in fact a descendant of the humans who lived in this world. His ancestor's father was Archmage Gartone, last of the wizards from the human city of Blue Waters. The child's mother was Lady Gwendolyn Arabai, sister to Lady Heri, the female warrior who killed Councilor Braquine. It was partly because of what the dragons had been a part of that my Father thought that a human would make a better Forger."_ Eve then glanced around to the nobles and then to Magma.

 _"After seeing that, do you now understand why my Father did what he did? Now then, something else. Neal didn't kill the kidnappers using conventional means. He used magic,_ _ **human**_ _magic to fight them and protect Lyca. Neal represents something extraordinary. He is a living conduit for both dragon and human magics. He is a change that need not be feared but embraced."_ Spyro came forward and glanced to the nobles.

"To humans, we became monsters. We tried to enslave them and they fought back. We have been judging and spiteing Neal because of a _lie_! As the purple dragon, I won't stand for it. Now then, Neal's adopted children, _dragons_ , have been kidnapped and brought to Axian. Was Magma a part of the plot? Until he shows us his memories in the Pool of Visions, we don't know." Spyro glanced to the King and Queen.

"I'm making my intentions known right now, as soon as Neal is well enough, I am going with him to Dante's Freezer to rescue Domino and Rivet."

One of the nobles who had been silent all this time glanced to Spyro.

"I seem to recall the human, err, Neal, having a brother. Is there a chance that he might also have human magic?" Eve glanced to him and nodded.

 _"It's possible. However, from what I can sense, he is not strong enough to undo the seals on the portion of the Book that Archmage Gartone penned before I was sealed inside. His spellbook,_ Encyclopedia Arcana Humana _, was the most complex and complete spell book the humans of that age possessed. Inside he penned all but the most forbidden of spells."_ The noble nodded and then spoke.

"Your Majesties, speaking as the descendant of Councilor Aldemire, I request that Captain Magma be held under arrest until Neal and Spyro return from Dante's Freezer. Upon their return, we resume the trial and investigation into his deeds or misdeeds. Axian is one of Malefor's minions, therefore, our attentions should be concentrated on the foe in front of us." There was a murmur of disapproval from a few of the nobles but at a glance from the Royals silenced it. King Altonis turned his gaze to Spyro.

"Those of you going to help Neal, our Forger, go to him, speed his recovery if possible, and give him whatever help you can." Spyro nodded and, leaving Magma in Terra and her group's possession, he, Cynder, Flame, and Lyca left the chambers and started for the Tavern.

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Neal was first aware of feeling light-headed. He opened his eyes and tried to move his arms but they felt heavy as if weighed down. He managed to sit up and gazed around, realizing he was no longer in the Aquifer, nor was he in the Tavern. He then had a thought and glanced curiously.

"Ignitus?" He heard deep breathing and turned around to see the Chronicler hunched over a series of books. Neal couldn't see his face but from the sound of his breathing, he could tell the old dragon was troubled. Neal rose but immeidately felt his legs buckle and he fell to his knees. He tried again and this time managed to get his legs steady under him and he moved towards the Chronicler again.

"Ignitus?"

This time, the great dragon sighed and gave a small glance to Neal before returning to his books.

"I am the Chronicler... Keeper of Lore of Dragonkind and for the Age... Yet for all the books, all the lives I have in my possession... I never looked... Never thought about taking a glance back in the archives to see if what we know today as legend or fiction was ever true." He took a deep breath as he glanced at the books in front of him and sighed again.

"For the first time in my life... I am ashamed of being a dragon... _My_ Ancestors... _My_ _ **Species**_... I never thought that our Ancestors were capable of such atrocities..." His gaze fell on a single book and he mouthed something so softly Neal almost didn't hear it.

"An entire race... a civilization on par with us... Oh Ancestors, why?"

There were some books on the table nearby and Neal was amazed to see Spyro, Cynder, and several others all together. Then, off to the side he saw three books, and he immediately felt a pull to them.

"Chronicler... who's books are those?" Ignitus glanced to the books and nodded for him to approach them.

"Those are the books of your children, Domino and Rivet. They also have an older brother, Frost, who is held captive as well." Neal looked to him with shock.

"How old is he? Why didn't Domino mention him?" Ignitus glanced to the books and pointed.

"Frost is about... sixteen, maybe seventeen. The reason Domino didn't mention him was that she thought her big brother was dead. The last memory she has of him, he was standing at the mouth of the cave where their family denned up for the night, holding a swarm of apes back and yelling at her and Rivet to go. They're being held in cells right next to each other but have no idea who their neighbors are." Neal rose and then grimaced.

"I have to find them, save them." Ignitus raised a talon to stop him.

"You know, under dragon law, Frost is old enough to take care of his siblings by himself. If you rescue him and he challenges your right as their Guardian, you will have no choice but to surrender them to their sole remaining blood relative." Neal froze at that but then shook his head.

"Regardless, I'm not leaving anyone in Axian's sadistic claws! I'll rescue them all adress that bridge when I'm half-way across it." Ignitus eyed Neal as if evaluating his words and then smiled.

"Good to see the revelation of what we dragons did to your ancestors hasn't made you hold a grudge. Now then, I might not know anything about human magic or what you did in the Aquifer, but I think I may be able to teach you how to use your abilities more easily." Neal shook his head and gazed at Ignitus.

"What was it I did? It's... all a blur. The last thing I remember is throwing the lantern on the ground and..." Ignitus' smile widened.

"What you did, Neal Foster, was use magic. A type of magic that has been lost since the last humans vanished. The magic of your ancestors. Best of all, you used a _fire_ spell first. That gives me an easier time as we don't need to figure out your elemental affinity." Neal gazed at the excited dragon and sighed.

"Why do I feel I'm about to recieve a lecture?" Ignitus summoned a _massive_ book and set it before Neal.

"Because you are. You are still recovering so, to avoid straining yourself, I'm going to keep you here until you master what it is I plan to teach you. And for your sake, as well as the children, I hope you're a fast learner."


	29. Plan of Action

Okay guys, I'm back again with the next chapter. Well, is anyone as excited as I am that things are cooling down? It's a gradual decrease in temperature but at least the thermometer is no longer in the 90s. It is two weeks until Halloween and three weeks before the annual Provencal Fall Festival.

I'm already getting my materials together for the gumbo and dessert contests. I'm thinking of a traditional chicken and sausage gumbo with rice, not too spicy but somewhat mild, and for the dessert, a quadruple chocolate cake.

Speaking of Provencal, changes are happening. For instance, the old barber shop in Provencal, the one that had been run by my cousin Delbert for over thirty years before he passed away last year, has been purchased and is now owned and operated by, of all people, the daughter of my Dad's former police partner.

Across the road from the barber shop, Mr. Charles and his family have converted the old gas station into a restaurant and the shop right next door has been converted to a garage and has been staffed as well.

Yeah, this foreword is dragging on but, bit of history here. Did you know that in 1898 Provencal was actually one of the largest villages in Natchitoches Parish? It actually rivaled Natchitoches itself until the majority of the town was destroyed by an F5 tornado that ripped through it.

Also, The Walking Dead is back and with episode 100. I'll admit I lost interest in the show after Season 4 with the Governor but now things are kinda interesting again. Plus, the fact that my cousin lent me his copy of Dying Light: The Following and got me hooked on _that_ game and genre. I'm not normally a fan of zombie survival horror games but there are some exceptions to the rule so long as it's not too cheesy and keeps me entertained. Back to TWD, now we have episode 101 which is just in time for Halloween.

Okay, time to end the foreword otherwise it'll take up the whole chapter.

BTW, I _do_ have a Halloween-themed chapter in mind but it may be uploaded after Oct. 31.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 28: Plan of Action

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Faster than Neal could blink, the object that had been launched at him sailed right where his head had been moments before he had ducked to evade the attack. The stone slab that had been the object slammed into an invisible barrier, shattered, vanished, and then reformed at Ignitus' feet where he had been standing ever since he started training Neal to be able to harness his abilities at will. Despite Neal knowing that Ignitus would not intentionally cause him harm, he had to wonder just how close Ignitus was going to push him or how close he would come to serious harm.

So far Neal hadn't been able to do anything as spectacular as he had done in the Aquifer but he _was_ making progress. With the aid of a focus, mainly a crystal, he could channel enough mana to conjure a blue-green flame within the crystal but he was unable to control it. After rolling to the side to avoid the stone slab again, Neal frowned and focused his energy on the crystal, intending to create an inferno that would incinerate Ignitus' favorite training tool into ashes.

Instead of the roaring wall of fire Neal had wanted, the crystal spat out a small tongue of flame and a noise sounding a little too much like a fart that completely shattered Neal's concentration as he chuckled at the unexpected sound.

His laughing stopped however when a book fell from the air and smacked him on the head, effectively getting his attention. Ignitus stood where he had been with a bemused expression on his muzzle.

"Distraction. That is your enemy, and the reason you cannot focus. To use magic you must clear your mind, channel your entire will into the magic, and then you can wield it however you wish to. Though, I admit, perhaps using draconic methods of instruction _may_ not be the best ways to get you to learn." Ignitus opened a book and started looking through it before gazing back to him.

"Neal, tell me what you felt when you confronted the kidnappers?" Neal sighed, having answered this question for the Chronicler three times already.

"Anger. Rage. Fear. I was just standing there, wondering how in the world I could help Domino and Rivet and then my mind went blank." Ignitus nodded and returned his gaze to his book.

"You know, with all that I'm learning about him, I'm actually curious as to how in the Ancestor's names did Sarvax become a standing member of the ancient council. His last pages detail the fight with the human mage who ended his life. By his accounts, Sarvax believed the human was not using any sort of emotion, he was just... tranquil." Neal glanced to the teal dragon and then asked something on his mind about the subject.

"Ignitus, what spell was it that killed Sarvax?" Ignitus looked at the book and sighed.

"Hmm... It doesn't say; only that it was an ice element spell that pinned Sarvax to a stone wall and then the mage executed him by using an ice spear comprised of Sarvax's own blood to pierce him through the heart."

"Ouch." Neal cringed and Ignitus nodded.

"Indeed. It was a rather brutal way to die and dragons took notice." Ignitus silently called several more books which flipped to the sections he wanted and sighed.

"It was after the death of Sarvax that the dragons started focusing on human mages, killing them wherever and however possible. I found the reference to the plague the council created and as it turns out only dragon blood could cure it. Also the reason that the plague spread so quickly, even to human settlements the council had wanted protected, was that human riders who were unknowingly sick, symptoms usually appeared sometime between three to seven days after contracting it, rode to the various settlements to spread word of the plague and unwittingly spread it themselves."

Ignitus glanced back to Sarvax's book and then closed it and returned it to the shelf with a heavy sigh.

"The human mage's intentions, I would guess, were to show that even though dragon blood was needed to cure the disease, humankind would rather die than submit." Neal chuckled.

"Leave it to a human to make a point, literally." A large book of draconic history then fluttered down and opened to a series of pages that appeared to have been heavily dog-eared, making Ignitus mutter something under his breath.

"It was this particular event that led to the dragons diverting forces needed to fight Malefor to destroying the human capital of Aurora. In a bit of irony, the forces sent to Aurora could possibly have turned the tide of battle at the front and Malefor would have been defeated far sooner." Neal nodded.

"Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. It's easier to spot mistakes looking back than looking ahead." Ignitus gave a slight nod and closed the book with a resounding _'thump'_ and sent it on its way.

"Well, dwelling on what's been is useless. All we have to do is press onward. Now then, when a dragon focuses on using his or her element, emotions come into play. You said you experienced anger, well then, think of something that makes you angry. If that doesn't work, then we'll try something else like keeping calm and collected." Neal nodded and returned to his previous position but then glanced to Ignitus.

"Ignitus... do you have an atlas anywhere in your library?" Ignitus glanced to him curiously.

"An... 'atlas'? Is that something you humans created?" Neal nodded and explained.

"An atlas is a book of maps that detail continents, nations, cities, oceans, territories, and other geographical charts." Ignitus pondered for a moment and then nodded.

"I think I have something similar to that. Why? Was there something you wanted to look for?" Neal nodded, an idea starting to form in his mind.

"I'm thinking that perhaps, if they haven't been looted, that human ruins might be able to shed some light on my abilities. If there are any left that are reasonably intact." Ignitus stopped what he was doing and gave him a stern look.

"I see. Well there _are_ human ruins but for a dragon it is considered a taboo subject. In fact, only Guardians, high ranking military officers, and master cartographers are allowed to know the locations of such ruins. They are mostly located in a chain of islands in an area known as the Forgotten Sea. Is there any particular set of ruins you wish to know about?" Neal shrugged.

"I don't know any cities other than the capital you just mentioned. I suspect that Eve might know more but I can't exactly ask her here." Ignitus nodded understandingly.

"Well, there are some ruins I know of, but they don't account for all human settlements. The ones I know of are the most prominent in our history." Another book fluttered down and Ignitus looked it over, nodded, and then returned his attention to Neal.

"Of course there is Aurora, the capital; as well as Merkan Crater, those are here on the mainland. Then there is Blue Waters, which if I recall is where the largest library and academy for human mages was located. There is also the ruins of Polaris, the city of artisans. I also recall Lake Crystalis, Cold Harbor, Veridian Fields, and the Necropolis." Neal nodded but then gave a peculiar glance to the old dragon.

"Merkan Crater? Necropolis? Odd names for a city." Ignitus nodded.

"Merkan Crater was known originally as just Merkan. After Sarvax's death, thirteen earth dragons descended on the city and using their combined powers created a void under the city and it all collapsed overnight. As Merkan was a mining colony and a decent amount of stone that moles used to build Warfang came from there, the Council wanted it wiped from the map, and from history." Neal frowned, thinking to himself that sounded all too familiar.

"According to reports, the majority of the city perished but survivors lingered for days trapped under rubble that no dragon would clear." Neal's frown darkened and Ignitus sighed, knowing what Neal was likely thinking.

"The dragons had orders from Councilor Caldinar not to pull _anyone_ , not even children,from the rubble. No matter how much screaming or begging they heard. It was an order _**not**_ to be disobeyed upon pain of death." Ignitus summoned the books of who Neal assumed were the thirteen dragons and dragonesses and did an impressive speed read of their books before setting them down.

"It was an order that all of them regreted following to their last days. Which was actually soon after as humans known as 'Slayers' hunted down and killed several of them."

"Of the thirteen, six were slain by humans, four were killed in the war, and three committed suicide. One of the dragonesses who had done the deed was so distraught by the destruction and the cries of survivors, especially the cries of children and infants, that she suffered nightmares for weeks until finally she returned to the site and she hurled herself into the crater." Ignitus' frown deepened and his expression darkened.

"The Necropolis was another city of humans. A grand castle and city built along the wall of a cliff overlooking the sea. The original name escapes me but I think it was a popular trading port. Electric and fire dragons unleashed their elements upon the city, destroying a good portion of it. Only the castle which stood at the highest point of the city was left relatively unscathed. However, the dragoness who created the plague also knew dark magic and cursed those who had fled to the castle never to rest until the day the entire city sinks into the sea."

That had another familiar ring to Neal as he held himself holding his breath and released it.

"Undead?" Ignitus nodded.

"The ruins and castle of the Necropolis are filled with the undead. That's why they are the most heavily guarded secrets of the elder dragons and are left off of any known maps, with the exceptions of about a half dozen or so, today. I believe that Blue Waters is the only ruin site that is directly en route to Dante's Freezer, other than the ruins of Cold Harbor which lie on the complete opposite side of the island chain." Neal paused for a moment and then nodded.

"I'll try to master my fire element for the moment but I know I can't confront Axian alone. I'll need to be stronger than I am now." Ignitus summoned a map from a shelf and unrolled it, detailing the known realms.

"Then I would suggest setting sail from Dogram's Port and sailing due south until you reach an island with a waterfall that glows bright blue. Even in the darkest night the waterfall is visible, I don't know how, it could be human magic but all mariners know to steer clear of the island as it marks the boundary of the Forgotten Sea. There was a tale that the Ancestors started that said all who set foot there are never seen or heard from again." As Neal nodded and began to focus on calming himself, Ignitus turned and frowned at the map.

"Be warned though, if a westerly current pushes you, you will find yourself not at Blue Waters but the Necropolis instead." Neal nodded and then focused on centering himself.

For what seemed like hours, he concentrated and focused. He began to feel the mana that flowed around him. It felt as if he was being surrounded in a thick warm blanket that radiated heat. He managed to take hold of what seemed like a strand of mana and it felt just like soft cotton, fragile, yet strong. He felt all the tension leaving his body, his joints and muscles relaxing in the soothing warmth.

He kept up the steady breathing until he finally felt the last currents of irritation ebb away leaving him tranquil and calm. Suddenly, he felt the warm blanket become a massive pool of energy around him and he heard Ignitus gasp from where he had stood. Neal felt the strands of mana begin sparking like flints and writing out letters in his mind. The letters became words which in turn became phrases. He knew they _had_ to be spells but he just couldn't read them. His tongue couldn't make the syllables.

They made no sense at first, just like how his Forger magic made no sense at first but then his mind started wrapping around them, something inside him, inside his mind, heart, his very being, began translating them as easily as if they were in English. A short, single phrase began flaring with firelight while the others faded into the background like charcoal writings. Wordlessly, he held the crystal aloft, signalling he was ready and Ignitus chucked another stone target at him. Neal then opened his eyes which had again turned emerald green and spoke the short spell with a whispered breath.

 _"Dartus Flamere."_ Flame Dart.

A thin and narrow shot of blue-green flame erupted from the crystal, shot straight for the target and upon impact, expanded, enveloped, and destroyed the target. The flame had made the equivalent of a miniature sonic boom when it left the crystal, shattering it, and the impact with the target was like a stick of dynamite exploding. A cloud of ash surged forward and enveloped Neal but he remained unflustered by the debris and instead smiled as his eyes returned to their previous color and he glanced to Ignitus.

"I think I have it." Ignitus nodded.

"You now know a basic spell but there is much to improve upon. I would highly suggest going to Blue Waters before attempting to rescue Frost, Domino, and Rivet." Neal nodded his thanks as the training arena vanished and he felt himself waking up.

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Neal came awake at once and felt a weight on his left arm. Glancing over he saw Lyca leaning on his left arm, breathing softly in her sleep. Across the room, he saw Eve glancing out the window, the moonlight making every single one of her scales dazzle like a gem. Natually of course she gave a smile and glanced to him.

"I trust your training went well?" Neal nodded and slowly shifted so that he wouldn't wake Lyca and rose to stand beside her.

"I've managed a basic fire spell but Ignitus says that if I want a better chance at facing Axian, I'll need to be more powerful than I am now." Neal sighed and glanced to see her expression before looking at their Book.

"I hate to admit it, as much as I'd want to sail straight for Axian's fortress, the fact is Ignitus is right. I faced Axian before on the wing and all the .303 machineguns did was make him more aggro. It took a damn fifty caliber shell to shoot a piece of Ripper's armor off and _that_ was a lucky hit. I have to face facts; if I'm going to face Axian _and_ Shadra _and_ possibly Malefor, I'm going to need more than my standard bag of tricks, weapons, and Hail Mary's." He absently rubbed his shoulder, remembering the recoil of the anti-tank rifle he'd used against Ripper and grimaced.

"Let's face it, a weapon that fires fifty caliber rounds isn't exactly lightweight. Plus the recoil, I'd only be good for a few shots before I can't use my arm and that's _if_ my target decides to play nice and hold still which I can guarrantee won't happen. It's not practical for an extended fight." He pinched the bridge of his nose and then glanced to the Book.

"On Ignitus' advice, once I get everything in my kit together, I'm heading for the ruins of Blue Waters first. Apparently it used to be the center of learning for humans who wanted to become mages. Maybe there's a spellbook or something on a dusty shelf somewhere that'll tell me what the hell I'm supposed to do." Eve gave a small smile and a wink.

"Why look for a musty old tome when you've got me? At least I won't make you sneeze every time you turn the page." Neal gave a strangled cough and eyed her and Eve blushed.

"That came out differently than I intended... What I mean is, why look for another spellbook when the Book I'm sealed in has an Archmage's, your ancestor's, complete spellbook?" Neal glanced to the Book, opened it to the section that started the spellbook and then looked back to her.

"I don't know. There's just something... call it a gut instinct, that's telling me to investigate Blue Waters. Besides, it says here that human magic requires a focus. I'm _pretty_ sure that's a staff or something similar but the Book doesn't say and I'm pretty sure Forging an enchanted staff isn't possible." Eve shrugged.

"In the Aquifer you used a shotgun." Neal coughed and pointed to where the aforementioned shotgun was sitting on a workbench, the last seven inches of the barrel doing a fairly impressive (and accurate) imitation of a banana peel. Eve glanced at the shotgun and grimaced.

"Point taken." Neal went over to the shotgun and looked it over and sighed.

"The amount of force needed to banana peel this barrel was tremendous. I'm lucky the other rounds in the tube didn't go off. Look at this mess. The barrel's ruined, the stock's split, the sights are bent, the pump grip is gone and the tube is halfway melted into a 'U' shape." He returned the destroyed weapon to the table and glance to Eve.

"If _this_ is what channeling human elemental magic does to semi-modern human weaponry, I think I'll need to lay off the rifles and machineguns and find something with a lower chance of blowing up in my face when I cast a spell. Like a crossbow, perhaps, but then again I can't hit the broadside of a barn with a crossbow, I'm no William Tell, Robin Hood, and I'm sure as hell ain't no Darryl." Eve shook her head.

"It wouldn't work. My memories of human magic always entail specially enchanted tools. You can't just pick up a piece of wood and call it a staff. It would either catch fire, burst into splinters, disintigrate, or liquify the moment you channeled a spell through it. Swords, axes, and spears are the same way. Back then, Forgers would create the tools, enchanters would then enchant them to withstand the surge of mana, and then the mage would be ready to weave magical spells. Of course... most likely no one alive today knows how such enchantments were crafted." Neal gave her a look and nodded.

"So then visiting old human ruins to find an enchanted focus is my best option." Eve nodded.

"Either that or find the spell used to enchant an item and have an enchanter enhance one of your preferred weapons." Neal nodded.

"I have my course, now I just need a ship and according to Ignitus no sailor worth his salt will go _anywhere_ near the island chain humans used to call home. The dragons of yore weaved enough tales, legends, yarns and stories about those places to make even _me_ think twice about going but, I have to." Neal glanced around at the books he had purchased in the market for reading pruposes and for learning as much as he could about the world and found an old map drawn on vellum. He then tapped on Warfang and then followed a line south to Dante's Freezer but stopped halfway at a section labelled ' _DANGER! Forgotten Sea!_ ' and then glanced back to Eve who was also looking at the map.

"He said just so long as we don't get caught in the strong easterly current we would arrive at Blue Waters. If we're caught by the current there's a good chance we'll wind up near some place called the Necropolis, which he made sound like a place I wouldn't want to be caught dead in... Good grief that was a bad pun." Eve gave a startled gasp and seemed to pale. Neal was quick enough to pick up on it though.

"You've heard about it, I assume?" Eve nodded.

"Ilandia Rexis. The Island of Kings. Aurora was the human capital on the mainland but the city all humans paid their respect to was Grandis Fortunae, the city now known as the Necropolis. I only visited the city once before but the beauty was breathtaking. I wouldn't think it would be a far shot to say that the moles were inspired enough by the city to copy some of the features when they decided to build Warfang. All things considered, it's no wonder the dragons of old destroyed the city so thoroughly." She sighed.

"The dragons then couldn't stand the idea that the humans had a city that, in many minds, rivaled Warfang. Vanity, pure and simple. Forgers were protective of their craft but we never were vain. We were never jealous of another's craft. We liked to challenge ourselves and improve upon our skills. When you were Forging commissions for Ibikiir and others, it made me remember what it was like back in those days. Perhaps one day... maybe there will be another dragon Forger." She gave Neal a glance and then looked away.

"But that's a long ways off yet..." Neal nodded and went back to looking through the Book and then settled on a section that made him pause.

"Eve, this section here... it details how the enchantment of the Book works... You said that if I created something that normally needed a crew to use fully that the magic would control it part way?" Eve nodded.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Neal smiled.

"Rather than risk a sailing ship, which would be at the mercy of the tides, what if I Forged a ship myself? Human shipbuilding and nautical engineering has come a long way since the age of sail, we have powered ships that use engines to sail the oceans and are not hampered in the least by the winds." Eve gave him a smile.

"It's possible but you'll need either time, which we don't have, or plenty of mana. Perhaps if you ask nicely, someone would link their mana with you to create the ship." Neal gazed at the Book and heard the door open.

"I thought I heard voices." Neal turned to see Spyro and Cynder in the door and he pointed to Lyca who was still asleep. He gave them a nod and pointed to the Book.

"I have a plan of what to do next but to do it, I'll need to link my mana with someone to create a ship to sail to Dante's Freezer." Spyro gasped at his statement.

"You can _do_ that?" Neal nodded.

"Before that though, I have to sail to an island in the Forgotten Sea and visit the ruins of Blue Waters, a former human city dedicated to teaching magic." Spyro and Cynder looked to one another when a voice came from behind them.

"If it's mana you need, then you have permission to use mine." Cynder turned to the voice and smiled which drew Neal's curiousity and he stepped outside and almost ran right into Constance who lowered her head and wrapped her right wing around him.

"Thank you for what you've done for Cynder and Spyro. I haven't seen my daughter this happy in a long time." She folded her wing back and gestured behind her with her tail. Neal walked to the railing that overlooked the tavern floor and was stunned by what he saw.

There was Terra, Growler, Toxis, Ibikiir and Kaviri, Flame and Ember, Erz and Squall, and several other dragons and dragonesses he didn't recognize. Constance came up alongside him and nodded to each and every one of them.

"You have done so much for all of us, the least we can do is help you when you need it." She lifted her head.

"Neal needs to reach Dante's Freezer! Who here besides me will lend him the energy needed to create a ship capable of braving the waters of the Forgotten Sea?"

Neal was stunned when every dragon raised a wing and beamed at him. Constance glanced to Neal, giving him a toothy smile.

"Go and get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, we set out for Dogram's Port!" There was a general cheer from those assembled below and Fenrir, who was seated with them rose and smiled, despite his arm being in a sling.

"I'll send word to my cousin Gregory to assemble a crew. How big a ship can you create?" Neal shrugged.

"Depends on how many are going with me." Constance looked around and smiled.

"Then it's plain to me. You're going to need a bigger boat."

Neal grimaced inwardly at the reference but smiled outwardly. Inside the room, Eve summoned the ghost quill from the Book and immediately started drawing the blueprint from Neal's mind.

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Whew, alright I am amazed I've done three chapters rapid fire like this. Again, whew! So, next chapter the group flies to Dogram's Port and Neal creates a ship capable of traversing the ocean.

If you like to see the artwork of possible ships, you can view them on my DeviantART gallery.

For a first summon, it is a tie between the USS Bainbridge (A US Destroyer from 1904 that served in WWI) or the USS New Ironsides (The capital ship of the Union Navy during the Civil War from 1862 to 1865.)

Yeah I know, I'm from Louisiana which was a Confederate state and I'm picking a Union ship. Well, to be honest, there were some Confederate ships in the running: CSS Alabama (legendary Confederate raider responsible for sinking 60 Union ships), CSS Dare (Confederate blockade runner that sank on it's first run), CSS Texas (the last ironclad built by the Confederacy), and CSS Louisiana (incomplete ironclad that was destroyed while defending New Orleans in 1862).

Still, New Ironsides seemed the better choice performance and history wise and the Bainbridge was the first modern destroyer adopted by the US Navy (hence the designation DD-1).

FYI: USS Bainbridge was the precursor to the Clemson-class destroyer and served during WWI before being sold to a civilian company as a fruit transport.

USS Ironsides served as capital ship of the Union Navy and fought throughout the war until destroyed by an accidental fire in 1865.

As it will be a bit before I can update again, be sure to write a review either here on my story, PM me, or write something on my DA Journal regarding the ship choice. I'll read them, I promise.


	30. Dogram's Port

Okay guys, If I can update this by the end of the week, hopefully my planned 'Halloween-themed' chapter won't be too late. If I can't then please accept my apologies but still, enjoy the story and, even if I don't get it up by Oct. 31, give a little scream when you read it, or let me know if my attempt at horror was a little left of center.

Anyway, the pre-Halloween-themed chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS. I **DO** HOWEVER, OWN AN IMPRESSIVE NUMBER OF ANTI-ZOMBIE WEAPONS WHICH I HOPE TO FURTHER EXPAND UPON IN THE NEAR FUTURE. (Gah! Damn walkers! Taste cold steel! I have a red-handled machete and I'm not afraid to use it!)

Chapter 29: Dogram's Port

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Neal had readied himself as soon as he had gotten back into his room after speaking with Constance. At first light, he awoke and was ready. Nervous, but ready. He realized that, with the exception of his time with the cheetahs and fighting over Darkfort, he had really never been outside Warfang's walls. Now he was going not just outside Warfang, he was going to a completely new part of the world. A part unseen for countless centuries.

As he left the room, he saw Lyca just finishing up putting some leather armor on and gave him a glance.

"I'm going with you for this." Neal nodded, not wishing to start an arguement that he (somehow) knew he didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. Downstairs, the Tavern was quiet, the windows were shuttered, and the front door had already been prepped to be locked upon Lyca and Neal exiting the building. Neal turned to give Lyca a glance and she smiled.

"I'd trust Fenrir with the place if I didn't already know he'd likely spend the entire day drinking and raising a ruckus with the other regulars. Besides, I still haven't hired a replacement for poor Holt and the rest of my staff needs the time off." Neal shared his sentiments and then motioned to the door.

"After you my dear." Lyca smiled and brushed him with her tail and gave a glance back at him as she walked past.

"Always." Neal gave a glance around and then to the open door and sighed.

"Last one out, get the lights." He stepped out into the streets of Warfang and closed to door behind him and was met immediately by Skylar and (big surprise) Larke, the cheetah who he had beat in the hunting challenge. Larke came forward, grasped Neal's free hand and smiled.

"When Skylar told me of your charges getting kidnapped by Axian, I and a few others decided to come with just in case you needed some extra help." Neal gave a thankful smile and then nodded to Skylar.

"You ready for this?" Skylar nodded and produced not only his bow but also the rifle Neal had gifted to him.

"Hunter and the others are waiting by the gates. Once we reach there, the dragons will carry us to Dogram's Port and from there, into the unknown." Neal glanced around the area and then nodded.

"How many are coming with us?" Skylar shrugged.

"I don't know. I know for certain that Spyro and Cynder and Lady Constance will go all the way to Dante's Freezer with us, I am unsure about the rest. For the moment though, we're all heading to the Port where Fenrir says we'll meet with his cousin who, in his own words, is the only wolf he knows that has more salt water than blood in his body."

"A true wolf of the sea, eh?"

"Yeah, but, Fenrir said whatever you do, do _not_ call him a 'sea dog'. Apparently, he's wolf enough to take offense at being called anything that has 'dog' in the title. Don't know why though, a lot of canines are good sailors. Then again, there are those who become pirates like that Captain Skabb. No one really wanted to work with canine sailors after that numbskull turned pirate." Hunter nodded.

"Indeed. Thanks to Spyro and Cynder though, Skabb is nothing more than a distant memory." Neal nodded and then glanced back to Hunter.

"So, any ideas as to what we might face out there?" Hunter sadly shook his head.

"Other than the possible old ape fortress, no. We cheetahs... tend to stay away from water." Neal nodded.

"Don't like getting wet, huh?" Skylar nodded.

"Yep. Wet fur slows you down and creates a rather unpleasant smell. When you hunt the skittish animals of the plains, you do _not_ want to smell like wet fur." Neal nodded and then looked to Eve who was examining the Book as the quill scribbled several things. He walked over to Eve and glanced at the quill and then back to her and she gave a small smile.

"Remember when I transcribed everything you had ever read back in your world?" Neal nodded.

"Is there something you missed?" Eve huffed in mock indignation.

"Hardly. I transcribed only what I had thought important at the moment. I once asked if you ever got your nose out of a book, and as a result I'm _still_ transcribing everything. At the moment, I am currently copying down naval designs from _'Warships of 1860-1920'_. I should have a list compiled by the time we get to Dogram's Port and, based on the power of your mana and whoever links their mana with you, I will reorganize the possible creations." Neal looked to her and nodded.

"Any ideas right off the bat?" Eve paused and nodded.

"There are a few. If you don't wish to use so much mana, the best possible ships are the _USS Bainbridge, HMS Engadine, HMS Royal Sovreign,_ and _USS Florida_. However, if you need a vessel capable of carrying multiple adult dragons, the best and possibly only good idea is the _USS New Ironsides_." Neal gave a curious glance and then noticed the blueprint designs and did a double take.

"These look _nothing_ like the original designs..." Eve blushed and stuck her tongue out playfully.

"What can I say? I learned how to improvise from you and your brother. Plus, with the number of dragons possibly going with you, it is neccessary to create a ship that has plenty of living space, plus plenty of room to take off and land." Neal gave a part smile and shook his head.

"Is that why _New Ironsides_ , _Florida_ , and _Engadine_ have flying decks built into the designs?" Eve paused thoughtfully, the quill tapping slowly and deliberately, and then shrugged.

"Just thought it would seem a little bit more familiar." Neal chuckled and half turned.

"Just so you know, my brother was the one throwing himself off carrier flight decks. I stayed on gunships or flew choppers." Eve smiled.

"Well, it _was_ his suggestion anyway. Since you like flying, he recommended the flight deck additions more for you in case it was neccessary."

Neal gave a small nod and the group continued walking to the gates of Warfang. All the while, Eve would point out little changes made to the original designs and ask Neal's input on them. In all honesty, given how little Eve probably knew about carrier operations, most of the changes seemed to blend flawlessly with the overall design. Still, the design of the ship would depend on how much mana was needed plus how many were going with him.

A balancing game. Small ship equals better stealth but few companions, large ship means less stealth but more companions. As they reached the gate, they found Constance, Terra, Growler, and Toxis kitted out with harnesses for carrying a rider. Erz and Squall were carrying supply harnesses that did fair to make them look like walking wagons. Kaviri and Ibikiir were also here but wore no harnesses and six dragons from the regular guard also stood at the ready, their armor gleaming brightly in the sun. Spyro, Cynder, Flame, Ember and Sparx noticed their arrival and nodded to Neal and the others.

Constance personally guided Neal to her to climb aboard while Lyca, Skylar, and Larke climbed on Terra, Growler, and Toxis. The departure wasn't a full, farewell as Constance had decided that the fewer knew they were going, if only for a little while, the better.

As soon as everyone was ready and the riders secure, Constance leapt aloft, beat her great wings twice, and was soon floating over the wall as the rest of the party took off behind her. She turned her head back to glance at Neal and he nodded.

"So, Dogram's Port is south of here?" Constance nodded.

"It shouldn't be a long flight, time enough to catch a few winks if you're still tired but you might want to finish going over whatever plans you were speaking to Eve about." Neal gave her a nod and then mentally connected with the Book and continued glancing over designs and suggesting modifications for the road ahead.

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(later that day, at Dogram's Port)

The dockside tavern was called The Roaring Tide. Even standing outside the building, the smell of cheap booze, sweat, fish, and various other things seemed very prominent to Neal. He had realized upon entering the port town that hard people lived here. Compared to the cleanliness of Warfang and the Full Moon Tavern, the Roaring Tide and the surrounding area was a dump. Still, there were some good points. The people were friendly enough (although that was because probably of Spyro and Cynder being in the their present company), giving small nods and open smiles to the group.

Upon reaching the dock, Neal had asked a sailor where he might find Captain Gregory and the canine had pointed the end of his long stemmed pipe in the direction of the Tavern. After waiting for a few moments, Neal decided to enter the establishment along with Spyro, Cynder, and Skylar. The second he stepped through the door though, the music, the talking, the laughing stopped suddenly and Neal suddenly felt like he had walked into a 1930s western. The barkeep, a grizzled old dog with more grey in his fur than anyone else here, turned his one good eye to Neal and gave a short nod.

"Welcome to the Roaring Tide, sir. What's your buisiness and your pleasure?" Neal gave confident glances to his companions and nodded to the barkeep.

"My pleasure would be rum and as for my buisness, I'm looking for Captain Gregory." The barkeep chuckled and took down a bottle from the shelf and slid it to where Neal was and then pointed to the back table where a wolf dressed in salt water stained clothes was looking at a board with several familiar pieces on it.

Neal payed the barkeep for the rum and walked over to the table and glanced to the wolf.

"Captain Gregory, I presume?" The wolf didn't say anything but gave a short nod before moving a piece on the board (the bishop, Neal suspected) and knocking over what looked to be a rook and then smiled wickedly.

"I have ye in check Mal. Heh, try and weasel yer way outta _that_ one." The canine sitting across from him, Mal, pondered the board for a moment, then smiled and moved the tallest piece (probably the Queen) halfway across the board and then knocked over Gregory's King with a confident stroke.

"Check and mate, mon Capitaine. You should not have moved your shaman so far up the board. You practically sacrificed a near perfect game for a quick end." Mal reached for the small leather bag on the table, hefted the weight for a moment then smiled and tipped his hat and rose from his seat.

"Now then, I believe this young gentleman wishes to speak with you." Gregory snarled but then eyed Neal and motioned for him to take a seat.

"You play boy?" Neal glanced at the board.

"If it's the same game I think it is then yes, I'm a fair hand at it." Gregory nodded and reset the board and then flipped a coin.

"Call 'er in the air. Heads: white, Tails: red." He flipped the coin.

"Heads." Neal nodded and the coin came down and landed on tails. Gregory carefully rotated the board around and then motioned to him.

"White makes first move." Neal nodded and moved a pawn forward two spaces toward the center. As Gregory looked over his pieces he took a swig from his own bottle of rum and then moved the pawn directly across from Neal's pawn forward one space.

"My brother sent me one doozy of a letter, sayin' that yer lookin' for a crew brave enough to sail _through_ the Forgotten Sea to Dante's Freezer to rescue yer adopted kids, eh? Yer move." Neal moved another pawn forward and nodded.

"That's right. I intend to save my family and I'm willing to move heaven and earth to save them. Your turn." Gregory glanced to the board and moved the same pawn as before forward again and sighed.

"Tis a dangerous route ye be askin' us sailors to take. What kinda Captain would I be if I asked me crew t' do somethin' that they would _ne'er_ do without either threat or reward? Back to you." Neal had an open spot and moved his first knight out.

"It wouldn't be a thankless job, Captain. All I seek from the Forgotten Sea is one, maybe two relics of a bygone era. The islands hold ruins that I need to explore before I would stand a chance against the son of a bitch-" Gregory eyed him crossly.

"Watch that tone boy. More than one careless ear would think ye were insultin' _their_ mothers." Neal apologized and moved another pawn.

"The islands hold... something special that I need to save my kids. Now, I am willing to risk my life for the venture but I will not throw it away carelessly. Such a rescue needs a strong boat, a stronger crew, and an even stronger Captain. Your cousin Fenrir told me that you were just such a Captain." Gregory nodded and brought his shaman/bishop out.

"Aye, he's right. Unfortunately though me vessel's laid up. Damned fleabag pirates did a number on her two weeks ago. Mal, who you just saw, was me bosun's mate and the last member of me crew. They all jumped ship for vessels that are still raking in the gold. I haven't the gold to repair her so, I'm just sitting here drownin' meself in rum. Tis all I can do 'till fortune favors me again." Neal nodded. He then moved the knight and claimed the bishop.

"I know the feeling. Anyway Captain, I have a ship of my own, I just need a Captain and a crew." Gregory glanced to him, examining him, and then moved a knight of his own out.

"Aye? Well for a crew, gold is the language ye wish to be a-speakin'." Neal nodded and moved a pawn, clearing the way for the Queen.

"What's the standard fare?" Gregory scratched his chin thoughtfully and nodded while also moving his other knight.

"Fifteen gold per sailor, twenty for a midshipman, and thirty for an officer. Captain's take commissions." Neal nodded understandingly and smiled, moving the Queen forward to take a knight.

"Since this is such a dangerous venture, I am willing to pay-" Gregory stopped him short.

"If yer about to say double, don't. There's pirates ears in this port and they'll hire on with ye just so they could rob ye and slit yer throat, don't matter to them _who_ yer with. I'll see about hiring a proper crew for ye, maybe I can lasso a few of them scalliwags who went and jumped ship on me. This be troubled times so I bear them no hard feelings. Most of 'em have families to feed and clothe. A laid up ship makes no money, you understand." Neal gave an understanding nod.

"Just give me a moment to get everything assembled and hopefully we'll be ready by the time you've gathered the crew." Neal noticed that Gregory's defences were open and moved the Queen forward, taking the King.

"Checkmate." Gregory chuckled and shook his head.

"Never could play this game. Get me out on the sea, I know my way 'round but this game... heh, maybe I'll ask Mal to show me the ropes so that I don't lose to him again. I need to break that bugger's winning streak. He's had me twenty to none since we limped into port last month." Neal nodded, slid the bottle of rum over to Gregory, and then rose and left the Tavern.

Outside, he met Constance who looked to him curiously and he nodded.

"We have a Captain. He just needs to assemble his crew and while he's doing that, I guess I have a ship to Forge." Constance glanced around and nodded to him.

"They're all assembled at the dock. However, Erz and Squall were recalled and Ibikiir and Kaviri will be unable to join you. For that matter, neither can I. We will still link our mana with you but we cannot go with you." Neal nodded and then summoned the Book.

"Okay so, three cheetahs, one wolf, three adult dragons, four young adult dragons, and one human obsessed with the impossible. That means... well, I have an idea of what ship I'll need. Something big, powerful, and reliable. Eve?" Eve appeared and glanced to the Book then back to Neal.

"What design will we Forge?" Neal pointed it out and smiled.

" _USS New Ironsides_." Eve flipped through the Book and nodded.

"Components vital for the modified design are as follows: wood base hull divided into eighteen watertight compartments with bulkheads reaching from the keel to the top deck, geared engines, drive shaft, propellor, steel plate armor, an exhaust funnel, a lookout mast, a flight deck, wheelhouse, aft bridge, and weapons. Neal, do you wish to modernize the design? This means more efficient engines, breech-loading cannons, machinegun parapets, as well as a Mechanization Room." Neal looked to her.

"Mechanization?" Eve nodded.

"It is the special ability for large Forge objects that require more than one person to control. In short, you create it, I use my magic to automate it. Just simple things really, I can't defend the vessel, that requires a crew, but I _can_ control the speed and direction if so needed." Neal nodded.

"Let's get it Forged first and then we'll see what we need to automate." He glanced to Constance.

"Let's link our mana together."

Constance nodded and took a place behind Neal. Spyro and Cynder took places on his left and right, Ibikiir and Kaviri took places to Constance's left and right, and Flame and Ember took places beside Spyro and Cynder. Terra, Toxis, and Growler also took positions creating an almost complete circle around Neal. Eve vanished back into the Book and it floated aloft before Neal, pages opened to the modified blueprint of a vessel that, Neal recalled, had once been the flagship of the Union Navy during the Civil War despite being called 'the personification of ugliness'.

He closed his eyes and immediately he was enveloped in a white void. He worried at first but then felt the presence of the others and he calmed down and then started to work.

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The general idea was easy to visualize. He heard Eve tell him that all he had to do was think it and the construct would take shape before him. Once it was complete, the flow of mana would cease and the ship would be translated from the void to the world.

A wooden hull, fastened together with steel bolts and layered with steel plates along the midsection giving her a core defence. The wood was still thick enough that most likely she could turn a cannonball. The rudder was enlarged and the steering mechanism was reinforced. The bulkheads were next, dividing the ship into eighteen compartments with openings for doors and dividing the ship into four decks: top, gun, crew, and mechanical.

The mechanical deck was the first. Neal had three semi-modern reciprocating steam engines and eight boilers installed and a long drive shaft connected them to a large four-bladed screw that was placed behind the rudded and then an end cap bolted to the keel to prevent centrifugal force from the screw damaging the shaft of keel. Given Neal's knowledge of ships, Eve didn't protest when he insisted the lower hull be painted bright red and the rudder painted in red and white stripes in the even of capsizing.

Then the next area was the crew deck. It consisted of a galley, several cabins, and three bathrooms complete with toiletries, showers, and sinks. Since this area was still technically either right at or below the waterline, Neal decided to thicken the armor along the area. He mentally was aware of Eve chiding him.

 _'Put too much armor and the ship will sink right off the dock! We probably only have one chance to do this right.'_ Neal nodded his understanding but refrained from creating a weak spot below decks. He moved up to the gun deck.

Here was where it got tricky. The main armament of the ship during the Civil War had been fourteen 11in cannons, two 150-pounders, and two 50-pounders along her broadside. Neal gave the original armament the boot and substituted the heavy muzzle loading cannons with smaller caliber weapons and then doubled the number. Her broadside armament was now thirty 9in breech loading guns (15 port, 15 starboard), and not stopping there, he made room in the bow of the ship and installed four 10in chase cannons. In the fore and aft, he made magazines for the ammo and still had room left in the aft section and made it a room in case Terra, Growler, or Toxis wanted to go belowdecks.

The armor on the battery he kept as it was but the sight of exposed wood made him a little bit nervous and he sacrificed a little more of his mana to create some thin steel plates that were bolted over the wooden planks which earned him another growl from Eve and he assured her that was the last reinforcing he would do.

Finally, Neal was at the top deck. The ship was almost complete. Starting with the bow, he created a wheelhouse complete with windows, connected the steering mechanism to a large wooden wheel, a compass, a barometer, a wind up clock, some speaking tubes, a weathervane, and rigged a telegraph to the engine room and made positions for low level lookouts. Then, he created a tall enclosed crow's nest with a ladder leading up to it. Just behind that he created a smokestack and connected the exhaust vents from the boilers and engines to the funnel.

Lastly, he created an aft structure capable of housing not just the dragons but himself, Lyca, Skylar, and Larke and also made room for a small hangar and laid a wooden flight deck over the stern of the ship. He glanced about the ship and gave it another look over and nodded that he was almost done. He felt a chime go off and sent a query to Eve.

 _'It's a notice. The final mana count is coming in and I must say it's far less than I expected but still more since you kept adding armor to the lower hull. Creation of the ship will cost approximately half of all linked with you.'_ Neal suddenly thought of Spyro.

"Spyro doesn't have that much mana though, can you redirect his link so that he doesn't sacrifice so much?" There was a pause.

 _'Done. However, you will be unable to Forge anything more until tomorrow. Plus, you may have a rather nasty headache.'_ Neal nodded.

"I can live with that. Just need one more modification to the ship."

Neal visualized six parapets, each housing a single .30cal machinegun. When he felt Eve's curiousity, he smiled.

"Don't know what's out there. Just in case we need an anti-air defence. My kind learned the hard way during the first and second world wars when capital ships were destroyed easily by aircraft because they lacked any kind of defences against aerial attacks."

Neal glanced around the ship, gave a nod and spoke aloud.

"It is done."

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There was a trademark flash of light which Neal saw even through his closed eyelids and he heard a resounding splash and felt water droplets and a mist rush into him. He heard a gong and opened his eyes to see his mana-chronometer drop instantly from full to empty and sighed at the sudden onrush of fatigue. The others opened their eyes and glanced around and Neal inwardly laughed when each and every one of his companions' jaws dropped in amazement.

There, floating gently in the water, was _USS New Ironsides_. Neal had to admit, the ship did indeed look imposing, almost like a floating fortress. He heard a whistle from behind him and saw Captain Gregory standing behind Constance with roughly eighty canine sailors in tow including the one he had heard called Mal. Gregory came up and glanced at the ship and nodded appreciately.

"That's an impressive ship. If I had'na seen it with me own eyes I wouldna have believed it possible. Fen said ye were somethin special, and in this rare occasion, I concur. So, when do we ship out, sir?" Neal looked ready to object but Gregory raised his hand.

"Your ship, your timetable. Just remember that once we're out there and I'm firmly behind the helm, no second-guessing me." Neal nodded.

"We said in a few hours. Have the crew help Erz and Squall load up the supplies and then stow your gear and get settled. Once you are settled, and we're in open water, I want the gun crews to report to the gun deck so I can show you the new guns we have on board." Gregory nodded.

"Just so we're clear, what's the ship's name?" Neal thought for a moment and decided that probably _New Ironsides_ wasn't going to sound right to them and with a quick mental note to Eve, he nodded.

"She's called the _Guardian_."


	31. The Guardian Sets Sail

Okay, I originally planned to make Chapter 30 my Halloween-themed chapter but I thought it was more fitting to make it Chapter 31 instead. Alright then everyone, get ready to set sail for pirates! Here we go!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 30: The Guardian Sets Sail

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The gruff singing of the crew filtered into the aft castle on board the _Guardian_ (formerly _New Ironsides_ ) as they moved from the ship to dock and back again loading vital supplies for the voyage to come. Neal was checking on Spyro, Cynder, the other dragons, Skylar, Larke, Hunter, and Lyca to make sure they were settling in properly. Growler had been all excited about finding out that he actually had his own private room and was bounding around looking all over the ship. Terra had been content to just find her cabin, crawl into the bed, and go to sleep. Toxis had wandered from the aft castle and was now perched on the fan tail of the stern deck and was watching the crowd gathering at the dock wanting to see what all the fuss was about.

Lyca and Larke had gone to the ship's galley alongside Gregory's old cook Tombo and was starting to get everything set for sail. Skylar was examining the parapets along the deck. Hunter stood on the bow overlooking the open ocean before him.

Spyro and Cynder had taken to exploring the ship while Flame and Ember were in the area Neal had called a flight tower and was exploring around. After making sure the rooms were alright, Neal picked up Eve's Book and walked down to the gun deck to the area he had originally meant for Terra's squad but had changed it to the Mechanization Room.

The room was fairly plain looking with the exception that the door was made of steel and only opened to his touch and that there was a single pedistal in the center of the room that had what resembled pipes running down from the book-shaped depression and into the floor. Taking a deep breath, Neal came forward and set the Book into the groove and lowered the glass lid over the Book.

Instantly, he heard a short hiss like steam and saw Eve's form appear before him. Unlike before though, her form appeared somewhat more solid and her voice richer.

 _"I had almost forgotten what this was like. The sensations of touch and warmth."_ Neal looked to her and gave a curious look.

"What do you mean?" Eve shook her head.

 _"It's... hard to explain it... but I can_ _ **feel**_ _the footprints of the crew on the deck. I can sense Spyro and Cynder chasing Sparx through the engine room. The waves against the hull, the constant bobbing of the ship, the gentle list as the cargo in the hold is stacked and stored. I... almost feel... for lack of a better word, alive."_ Neal glanced at the Book and then back to Eve, a question forming in his mind.

"Eve... is there a way to unbind you from the Book?" Eve glanced to him with a flat expression.

 _"Why? Are you not happy with how I've been helping you?"_ Neal shook his head hurriedly.

"No, nothing like that... It's just... you seem almost like a prisoner in the Book. Yet, you're obviously alive. You have feelings, a personality, emotions. Surely you must have had dreams when you were growing up." Eve sighed.

 _"You're right. I_ _ **did**_ _have dreams, once upon a time. I dreamed of becoming a Forger worthy of my Father. I dreamed of one day finding a mate, having children of my own, passing on my knowledge to others. All of that means nothing though. I was eighteen, my whole life ahead of me, when my Father said I was ready for the trials to earn my Forger's workshop and sash."_ Eve turned to glance at the Book and gave a wistful sigh.

 _"Unlike my Father who passed his trials in record time, I_ _ **barely**_ _passed mine. It was discovered I had, maybe, one-fourth my Father's potential. After that mt training lapsed. My teachers no longer pushed me, my Mother began focusing more on my siblings who, though not Forgers, still possessed powerful elemental magic. I was, in all sense of the word, abandoned. I couldn't even find a suitable mate with my Father's shadow hovering behind me."_ Eve growled angrily and stamped her foot.

 _"I realized some time after that all anyone wanted from me was fame. They wanted to be the dragon who mated the daughter of Melquiar, the greatest Forger who ever lived. Once it became obvious though that I hadn't inherited my father's gifts, the dragons who had pursued me no longer wanted anything to do with me. They wanted a breeder, not a mate."_ Eve growled and hissed and snapped and stamped her feet in anger and rage at herself, those who had hurt her, and those who had abandoned her.

Neal, out of instinct more than anything else, came forward and embraced the furious dragoness who suddenly calmed at his touch and glanced to him.

 _"Neal... you have a mate... Lyca..."_ Neal nodded.

"Yes, but I cannot stand a friend hurting. You should know that by now. I cannot be your mate, Eve, but rest assured, I'll find a way to free you so that you can be happy. You deserve that as much as anyone." Eve recoiled and looked over Neal, examining him to see if he was telling the truth and she gave a small smile but then vanished back into the Book. He gently placed a hand on the Book and smiled before turning around and leaving the room.

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Neal found the crew loading up the last of the cargo and Captain Gregory looking over the bridge with interest. The crew were also intrigued by the design of the ship and were examining all the parts and equipment that was at their disposal. As Neal entered the bridge, he waved Neal over and gave a second glance around.

"I must admit, she's a fine vessel you have here. Still though, she's got no rigging, no masts, how is she going to _sail_ anywhere?" Neal nodded his understanding and prodiced a blueprint for the ship.

"Captain, the _Guardian_ is a vessel unlike any other you've probably seen. She's what we humans call a 'steam-powered cruiser'. You see this section here?" Neal indicated the boiler rooms. Gregory looked at the spot and nodded.

"This room holds boilers that turn water into steam. The steam is then pushed through pipes connected to the engines here, behind the boilers. The steam forces the pistons to move up and down which turns a shaft which in turn rotates a propellor which makes the ship move forward." Gregory nodded but clearly looked a little lost.

"What's her best speed?"

"With the improvements I made, fifteen knots in calm weather." Gregory stood stunned and nodded.

"The speed of a clipper in a vessel the size of a galleon! Color me impressed. So, how do we get her underway?"

"I need the help of ten of the crew who, since this is not a rigged sailing vessel, have no jobs. I need them below to assist Flame in starting the boilers. The boilers are wood burning so I have to supliment the fuel with something else. Have them meet me below and we can get started."

Neal turned and then descended through the ship, checking on things one last time before reaching the boiler room where Flame was waiting and eagerly looking over the machines.

"So these things are going to power the ship?" Neal nodded.

"Yep, and I'm going to need your help Flame in lighting the fires to start the water in the tanks to boiling. But first, did that special wood I ask for arrive?" Flame glanced at a stack of wood nearby and nodded. Neal then examined the wood, found it correct to his specifications and then adding a mixture of various metal powders and 'salts' to the wood he set them aside and turned to see the ten crewmen requested from Gregory standing at attention before him.

"Gentlemen, I am to understand that under normal circumstances, you men would be focusing your time hoisting, lowering, and repairing sailcloth. However, as this is a steam-powered ship, the means of propulsion is different. Who among you has seniority?" A tall one-eyed canine came forward.

"Name's Barkel, I oversee this lot. To be honest, sir, the lads are impressed with the ship and see it as just another job. We're still a part of the crew, we just need no longer be concerned with falling from the rigging and breaking our necks or getting struck by lightning. Where do you want us and what'll we be doing?" Neal nodded and motioned to the boilers.

"These boilers hold a massive amount of water needed for propulsion. To be turned to steam, the water needs to boil and that requires the use of fire. I make no bones about it, boiler tending is hard work and it tends to get hot in here. If anyone begins to feel light-headed or sick, leave the compartment for a minute, drink some water, cool off, and then return to your post."

"There are eight boilers but we will not be using all eight. For the moment, we will light only four. Each boiler is to be manned by a stoker, who will stir the ashes around as the wood burns down to keep the fire going, and a loader who will, at the request of the stoker, toss in more wood to build the fire back up. Divide yourselves up into four teams of two and man boilers one, three, five, and seven." He then turned back to Barkel and the odd man out.

"Mr. Barkel, you will be the man in charge of this area. If something goes wrong, use that voice tube to contact the Captain or myself. Only in the event of an abandon ship, docking in port, mess call, or if you yourself become overheated are you to leave this section of the ship. The man next to you will still be your subordinate." He faced the younger canine.

"What's your name?" The young canine saluted.

"Warren, sir. I'm Mr. Barkel's son." Neal noted the look of pride on barkel's face and smiled.

"Excellent. Now then, your job, though simple, is _very_ important. Come here. You see those round objects with three sections?" Warren nodded, giving Neal the que to continue.

"Now then, these are safety gauges. Your job is to make sure they always are in that middle zone there, you see? If they're in the left zone, the boilers aren't hot enough. If they are far right, they're too hot and must be shut down." He then pointed to two chains, one longer than the other.

"If any of these boilers gets to the right zone, you have to give the orders to shut it down and then put out the fire. I'm going to tell you what commands to give. First, call out which boiler is right of center." Warren nodded and, at a glance from his Dad and Neal, he tested the order.

"Boiler five, right from center!" Neal then glanced to Barkel.

"The second you hear that, you call out the boiler in question and tell them to cease activity and shut the hatch." He came over to the boiler.

"Stokers, when that order is given, whatever you do, do _not_ touch the boiler with your bare hand or even with thick gloves on, you _will_ be burned. Instead, use your stoking iron and shut the door like this and lock it in place." Neal demonstrated by using the hook on the poker to shut the door and then using the straight point to pull the latch down, locking the door. He then looked back to Warren.

"When the stoker says boiler is secure, you grab the higher of the two chains and jerk it down. That will pour water into the boiler, putting out the fire, and the steam will be safely vented through the smokestack. Wait a few minutes, then have the stoker reopen the boiler, clean out the wet ash, reload the boiler, and restart the fire. It'll cost us some speed momentarily but a boiler explosion can easily sink a ship of this size. You have to be vigilant. Understood?"

Warren and the rest of the group nodded and Neal then glanced to Barkel.

"Mr. Barkel, have the loaders start the boilers. Place nine chunks of wood from the blue pile into the boilers and one stick of starter wood from the red pile on top of the regular chunks. Once that is done, Flame, you breathe a small flame into the boiler, just enough to catch the starter wood and wait for the flames to catch on the wood." He turned to Warren.

"Mr. Warren, you are to watch the gauges. The moment that each gauge is centered, call up to the bridge and we'll get underway." Warren, to his credit, nodded quickly and then stood by as the loaders started their work.

Donning the thick leather gloves Neal had bought, the loaders grabbed wood from the first pile, then a stick from the second, and stepped back as Flame shot fire into each boiler and then backed away with a satisfied smile.

The starter sticks were Neal's own version of something once known as 'Presto-logs', wood coated with special metal powders to burn hotter and longer without having to stoke it every half hour. Flame stayed below to make sure the fire caught and stuck before leaving to return to his quarters. Neal returned to the Bridge to find Gregory, his chart officer, Eve, and Spyro looking at a sea chart. Gregory was slowly figuring out their course and nodded to Gregory.

"The boilers are lit and steam should be starting to build up." Spyro glanced to him.

"How do we know there's enough steam?" Neal smiled and reached for a pull cord by the helm and gave it a yank.

A weak-sounding horn echoed through the air, startling everyone on the bridge and they gave Neal sharp glances. Gregory had the sharpest glare.

"What do you think you be a' doin? Ye want every land lubber and pirate to take a gander at us?" Neal shook his head.

"No but, that's just normally how you can tell there's enough steam pressure in the pipes." Gregory gave a growl and turned back to his chart just as young Warren's voice came up through the voice tube.

 _"Mr. Neal, are you there? The gauges are all centered!"_ Neal smiled and walked to the tube.

"Very good Mr. Warren. Just keep your eyes on those gauges." He turned to Gregory.

"Captain, we are ready to set sail." Gregory nodded but then froze.

"Mr. Neal, as this is your ship, why don't you give the commands until we get out into open water?" Neal realized this was Gregory's way of telling him he knew next to nothing about steam ships and took it in stride, nodding. He walked to the starboard side where the mooring lines were tied and cupped his hands to the deck crew.

"Cast off, all lines!" The canines were taken aback by the command but didn't falter and did their jobs. The bow lines fell first, then the midship lines, finally the aft lines. Neal stepped back in and glanced to the helmsman.

"Alright, let's take her out of port slowly. Eve, you ready?" Eve nodded her head as Neal walked to the telegraph.

"All engines, ahead slow. Make revolutions for six knots. Helm, come to a-" Neal glanced at the map and the compass and then nodded.

"Come to a south by southwest heading." At that moment, using her magic, Eve opened the vents in the smokestack releasing a huge plume of grey-white smoke and steam and also the engines started working down below. Steam was forced through the pistons, pushing them down and turning the shaft. The propellor slowly started rotating in a counter-clockwise motion as it spun up to speed. The lookout on deck cupped his hands and yelled to the bridge.

"We're clear of the dock!" Neal nodded to the helmsman.

"Adjust course now." The helmsman nodded and started rotating the wheel to port. Neal turned to Gregory.

"Alright Captain, she's out of port." Gregory nodded and took his place on the bridge, now that the technical things were out of the way, the _Guardian_ was behaving like any normal ship. Now all Neal needed to do was wait until they were far enough out of port that he could teach the gun crews about the new weapons.

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A few hours later, Neal was standing on the gun deck in front of the entire gun crew who were looking over the guns with interest yet also boredom. The gun crew senior, a tall lanky canine named Fokx, kept insisting over and over again that he knew how to operate a blasted cannon. Spyro and Cynder had taken an interest in the cannons as well since during the war they had worked to constantly repair the mole cannon on the wall during the war. Finally though, Neal had enough and then motioned for Fokx.

"Fine then, Mr. Fokx, since you know so much about the intricate details and workings of the American M1899 9in Naval repeating cannon, please, show us." Fokx hemmed and hawed at that and Neal inwardly thanked his quick thinking to fabricate the name and designation of the cannon. Stil though, Fokx, openly challenged, growled and went to the nearest cannon and started to heave it backward as if to load it and then looked around.

"Mr. Neal, where is the ramrod? The powder charge? The shot? How can I load and fire a cannon that the equipment is not here to use?" Neal smiled and cracked open a crate of rounds he had created along with the ship and hefted one of the shells that was large and as long as his forearm. He set it down on the loading ramp beside the cannon, checked to make sure everyone was watching him, which they were, and jerked on the breech handle.

The cannon breech, now unlocked, swung open revealing the barrel. Neal picked the round back up, slid it into the barrel, closed the breech, locked it, and attached the come along (pull rope) to the lanyard (trigger). He then faced the crew.

"These cannons, as you just saw, are breech loading cannons. During the Civil War in which muzzle loading cannons were still used, crews could fire an average of three to four shells per minute. That means sighting in the gun, loading the charge, the shot, then tamping it down, inserting the fuse, clearing the weapon, firing the weapon, and then realigning it, and swabbing the barrel to put out any remaining embers that may detonate the next charge." Neal noticed a few crew nod as they had probably had experience firing at those speeds before.

"It wasn't until the late 1890s with the Spanish-American War that the US Navy adopted the very first recoil controlled cannon. That was the US Model 1894 1.5in Naval Rifle. Crews using that weapon were recorded as capable of firing twenty, thirty, sometimes forty shots per minute." This caused a stir among the crew. Neal raised a hand though to ward off the amazement.

"They were capable of this, because the 1.5in shell is just as long as my hand from the tip of my middle finger to the bottom of my wrist. A gun crew of three, fresh out of basic, could have pulled numbers like that out of their asses all the live long day. However, they were going up against a fleet of a nation that, secure in their belief that they were still the grand empire of old they never updated their fleet."

"Modern US Navy warships were going up against vessels that would have been state of the art half a century earlier but were now old, in poor repair, and relegated to patrol duties which had dulled their crew's training. Now then, I'm not asking you men for twenty, thirty, forty rounds per minute, with a shell that big, that's just not possible. At best, the record for 9in shells being fired in combat stands at eleven rounds per minute." He turned to Fokx.

"Mr. Fokx, I appreciate your experience and no doubt with the older muzzle loading cannons you would probably teach me a few things, but these weapons are different. The dangers though, are the same. Now then, because there are so few of you we cannot man all the port and starboard guns at the same time. Therefore we must stagger the ranks, half gun crew will man the starboard, half will man the port guns. Mr. Fokx, when we are not manning the boradsides or we are in pursuit, I would like you to pick twelve of your crews to man the chase guns in the bow." He then looked around to the rest of the crew.

"Now then, we have two full magazines of 9 and 10in ammo. No enemies in sight, calm waters, I say we get you men used to the feel of these new guns. For this training run, we will be firing a full broadside from the starboard side. Mr. Fokx, let's run out the guns." Fokx nodded, relieved at Neal's sparing his dignity and turned to the gun crews.

"Gunners, man your posts!" The gun crews got behind the guns three to a gun and pushed the weapons forward. The spring hinged armored doors were pushed out of the way of the barrel, exposing the gun to the cool sea air. Neal then saw a crewman gazing at the small wheels beside the cannons and explained.

"Make note of the two wheels on the gun. The wheel to the left controls elevation, the wheel to the right controls the small traverse. These guns have a limited radius of fire, being broadside weapons and all but sometimes you need to try and focus all your shots on a single location. Possibly in the event a pirate has to run to the head during a battle and you want to get him before he so much as drops his trousers."

There was a laugh from the crew and they went about loading the cannons as Neal had showed them earlier. Neal glanced at his watch, then glanced to Fokx who nodded to him and Neal looked to the crew.

"Gun crews, there is a pirate ship across from us. She has hoisted her red flags. Distance to target is five hundred yards. The moment Mr. Fokx gives the command, you will fire a broadside and immediately reload for a second volley."

"I want to see how fast you all are just starting out on these guns. When you have performed to both Mr. Fokx's and my satisfactory, we shall move to the bow and start training on the chase guns." He glanced to Fokx.

"On your command, Mr. Fokx." Fokx nodded and looked over his gunners.

"Target ahead! Range, five hundred yards. Ready... _FIRE!"_ Neal covered his ears as the report of fifteen cannons boomed out in sequence. He watched then as the gun crews opened the breeches, pulled out the spent shells, and reloaded fresh ones. He overheard one of the loaders saying how nice it was that they didn't have to fool with pushing the cannon back into position after every shot. Then the second broadside fired, drowning out all conversation. The crew was just about to fire a third when a deck hand jumped down the hatch, a wild look on his face.

"Cap'n says to cease fire! Lookouts in the Nest spotted a ship a fair distance away. Can't get a good look at her but she could be a pirate." Neal nodded and turned to Mr. Fokx.

"Have the gunners stagger formation but keep the guns inside unless we need them." Fokx nodded and then turned away.

"Mr. Neal, I also have some lads in reserve who could man the chasers if needed." Neal nodded.

"Make it so. I'm heading to the bridge to see what I can do." Fokx nodded and Neal took how with Spyro and Cynder right behind him.

"Neal, what can we do?" Neal shook his head.

"Nothing right now. It could be nothing but in the event it's a pirate ship, I'll need you guys to help defend the ship. I'm going to see if the Captain has any more information."

Neal picked up the pace and walked onto the bridge to see the Gregory pacing while the lookouts were focused on one quadrant. Suddenly, Gregory turned and scowled at the lookouts.

"Can ye see anythin'? Blasted bilge rats, what I wouldn't give for better spyglass." Neal glanced to him.

"Anything I can do, Captain?" Gregory looked to him and sighed.

"Not unless you could poof over there, look around, and then poof back and tell me if she's a pirate, merchantman, or a fishing spank. I swear I'd give a month's pay worth of rum to anyone who could tell me what that ship is." Neal glanced to Eve who was there and she gave a wink and a nod and Neal turned to Gregory.

"I think I can manage that." Gregory looked at him.

"Are you serious?" Neal nodded and started out but then glanced back.

"Have the crew clear the aft deck. I don't want any sort of debris, gear, or obstructions on the deck." Gregory nodded and glanced to his lookouts and motioned for them to check the aft deck while Neal made a bee-line for the aft castle.

As he entered the structure, he saw Terra, Growler, and Toxis already gearing up along with Flame and Spyro and Cynder's armor was already set out. Then Eve appeared and motioned to a covered object before them.

 _"I had a feeling you might need this so I looked through your memories to find one that could work with the ship."_ She grasped the sheet with her teeth and pulled it back revealing an Airco D.H. 3 pusher scout biplane. Neal nodded at her foresight and climbed aboard. After glanicing over a few things, he nodded to them and started the engine as Terra and Growler got the door to the hangar.

The wooden four-bladed propellor started spinning on the first go and Toxis helped guide him out of the hangar and onto the flight deck. The canines on deck went wide-eyed at the sight of the plane and but Neal didn't pay any attention, he was busy making sure he didn't leave the deck prematurely. He inwardly cursed.

 _(My brother was the damn bonehead who launched himself off a damned carrier. Still, I guess taking a chopper off a cutter is about the same. Push throttle to full and hang on for dear life.)_

As he lined up with the runway, he pushed the throttle to full, gave one last glance to his companions as he went by, and just as he reached the end of the deck, he pulled back on the stick and felt the deck drop away from under him as the old biplane took to the skies. As Neal climbed, he pushed on the left pedal to make the plane yaw left until he was facing the ship in the distance. He climbed to a suitable height, then leveled, and just started slowly wondering how the hell he was going to get back on the ship once he knew what kind of ship it was.

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After a few minutes of flight, Neal checked his watch and figured he was almost right on top of the unknown ship. He slowly angled the plane down, passing through the clouds. However, when he dropped out of the bottom, his heart leapt into his throat.

There was not one, not two, not three, but _five_ ships sailing in a diagonal formation that allowed the rear-most ship to hide the ones before it. Plus, Neal knew just enough about sailing to know that they weren't under full sail. Though they had the wind to their backs, that had the mainsails reefed and only the topsails free. That meant one thing.

The _Guardian_ had been spotted and this flotilla of ships was slowly dropping speed so that they could get into range. But for what? There were no obvious signs of pirates, yet they didn't look like merchant vessels and they sure as hell weren't fishing boats. Neal tilted the plane over a little further, locked the stick, and produced the spyglass he had found inside the cockpit and examined the ship closest to him.

As he ran the spyglass from the prow to stern, he saw signs that the ships were obviously crewed by canines but something was off. Unlike the (relatively) clean canines that sailed the _Guardian_ , these were rougher, dirtier. Then, he shifted his focis to another ship, this one was further along the line but seemed poorly constructed. In place of the main mast, the deck sunk down very low, almost to the keel and it looked more like a fighting pit. Inside, he could see opponents wrestling with each other. Then, as he glanced to the helm, he saw it.

A black flag with skull and crossbones. Alongside it was a red flag with the same markings. Pirates.

Neal quickly wheeled the plane around just as an explosion came from below and a cannonball shot up past the plane. He decided now was just as good a time as any to get the hell out of Dodge and made a beeline for the _Guardian_. If the ship had already been spotted, there was no sense in wasting time redirecting his flight. He had to warn the Captain and crew.

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It had only been twenty minutes since Neal had left and Eve found herself scanning the skies for him and the plane. Behind her, all the dragons with the exception of Ember were armored and ready for whatever was going to happen. Lyca was also on deck and scanning the skies with a spyglass hopeing to catch a glimpse of Neal. She had just turned to speak to Spyro and Cynder about something when she heard Lyca cry out.

"I see him! He's coming towards us, fast!" Eve turned and watched as the plane slowly descended from the clouds, readjusting so that it could land on the deck. The D.H. 3 had what Neal had called 'fixed landing gear' and now he was coming straight at the end of the deck. At the last possible moment when she thought he was going to crash, he picked the nose up and the wheels touched the deck, and Neal slammed the nose gear down onto the deck and cut the engine. As the plane slowed to a stop, Neal leapt from the plane and waved frantically and yelled a single word that chilled the blood of everyone within earshot.

"Pirates!"

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Neal's adrenaline had been flowing when he brought the plane down onto the _Guardian_ 's deck and vaulted out of the cockpit and made a clear run for the group yelling 'Pirates' as loud as he could. Immediately, he ran to the bridge where Captain Gregory was and took a moment to catch his breath. Gregory looked at him and he visibly sagged.

"It was pirates, wasn't it?" Neal nodded.

"Five ships, sailing diagonal to mask their numbers. The farthest ship had some sort of arena built into it." Gregory huffed and Spyro and Cynder who had caught up with him frowned.

"That sounds like Captain Skabb's old crew." Gregory nodded.

"Aye it was until you two dragons sent him to the Locker. Now that band of cutthroats is commanded by Scarr, one of Skabb's bastards. He kept his Father's parrots, Scratch and Sniff, on because for some reason he found their humor interesting." Sparx sighed.

"Oh no, not those lame brains again. Captain, can we fight them?" Gregory shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. We're outnumbered. If Scarr learned one thing from his Father's demise, it's that when you hunt for ships, pack your own ships with as many pirates as you can carry. Did it look like they saw us?" Neal nodded.

"They only have their topsails spread and are slowing down, drawing closer to our current course. The ship I have no doubt would survive a fight but if they board us we'll be seriously outnumbered." Gregory sighed and then looked to the charts. Neal glanced at him curiously and then suddenly he turned, fire burned in his eyes, determination.

"I will _not_ lose this ship or me crew or any of you to that mangy mutt! I know it's a long shot, but at least we'll have a chance. Here." He pointed to a part of the map.

"If we can take the Sunset Current just a little ways deeper into the Fogotten Sea, there should be a southerly current that will loop us around and bring us right to Blue Waters. The trick is though, if something happens and we overshoot, I have no idea where we'll end up." Gregory turned to Neal and gave him a solid stare.

"If I give you more crew, can you light the remaining boilers?" Neal nodded.

"Yes, the added steam pressure would boost our speed to at least twenty knots but... if the lines become over pressurized, we could damage the engines. Then we'll be at the mercy of the tides and current." Gregory sighed.

"I've often heard that phrase but let me tell you the first thing I learned out here. The sea, the currents, the tides... they have no mercy and show none. It's live or die." Neal nodded grimly and walked to the speaking tube.

"Boiler room! Mr. Barkel, do you hear me?" The reply was instant.

 _"Aye, we hear you. What's going on?"_

"Pirates have spotted us and are coming towards us, I want you to light the remaining boilers, I'll be sending more crew to help but for now, keep the pressure up." Neal then turned to Eve and then walked to the telegraph and pushed the lever all the way forward.

"Engines ahead flank. Eve, get to the engine room and make sure the lines don't burst. If even one of those pipes ruptures, we'll have to shut the engine down and seal the compartment until the steam dissipates. Helm, alter course, get us into the Sunset Current."


	32. Necropolis, Part 1

Okay everyone, it is October 31 and you know what that means...

 **HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**

Now then, as I promised, I created a Halloween-themed chapter for the story. So, I hope you all get some enjoyment out of this chapter. And now, on to the story!

BTW, had to split the chapter in half, sorry.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 31-1: Necropolis, Part 1

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Neal cursed inwardly as the wrench in his grip slipped, flying backwards and striking his shoulder with enough force to likely leave a bruise. He sighed and wished he had taken the chance to rest and recover his mana at somepoint but between the pirates, the engine siezing and blowing a pressure line, and now the unnatural fog that had enveloped the ship as the Sunset Current carried them along, there really hadn't been much chance to rest. It was plain to see the crew were worried, and Neal honestly didn't blame them.

Neal rose, glanced at the canine who was with him and shook his head.

"I can't fix it, not like this. I'm going to have to regenerate some of my mana in order to repair it properly." The canine sighed but nodded and then shot a sour glance at Eve before heading out.

Turns out that Eve, during the Forging process in creating the _Guardian_ , had thought to compensate for Neal adding armored plates all along the hull and had made little modifications where she thought it prudent. Instead of steel for the steam lines, they had instead been made of copper and lead which, with the heat of the steam, melted the lead which sent pieces of the metal into the pistons which eventually built up enough that only a thin layer of copper was keeping roughly 450psi steam from rupturing the line.

The lead had gotten trapped in the piston, jamming it and when the pressure built up enough behind it, the copper had ruptured, blasting steam throughout the engine room and the piston had sheared off the drive. Eve now looked thoroughly abashed and saddened as Neal rose to survey the damage one last time. A he passed by, she closed her eyes.

 _"Neal. I'm sorry, I didn't know_. _"_ Neal, having never gotten angry at the ensorceled dragoness, remained true to character and nodded.

"I know, Eve. Still, when I was creating the blueprint, you should have trusted me. Didn't you once tell me that a Forger never interfered with another Forger's work? I _knew_ that the armor plates would raise the waterline up a bit but the cargo was also factored in." He glanced at the ruptured pipes and shook his head sadly.

"I'm not angry Eve, but you should have been able to see that sacrificing the reinforced steel pipes for copper sheathed lead ones wasn't going to hold for any given time. Still, I probably should have caught on sooner or explained the concept to you more properly." Eve nodded.

 _"You're disappointed, aren't you?"_ Neal sighed.

"When you first told me about the change you made to the engine room, yes, I was disappointed. Now, I'm too damn tired to be anything else other than exhausted." He glanced at Eve.

"In the future, if you have an objection about something, speak to me about it. Don't decide that you know what's best and change an integral part of a design just because it may save weight." Neal turned and left the engine room and, although Eve wasn't physical yet, she still wept.

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As Neal came on deck, he whistled again as the fog wrapped around him. He felt the odd tingling sensation return as the fog chilled him and he immediately dropped to his knees to feel around the deck as he went along it to make sure he didn't walk off the side of the ship. Thankfully, the lantern lights from the aft castle gave off enough light that he was able to see it as he approached. He opened the hatch, stepped in, and then closed it behind him to see Spyro, Cynder, and the others glancing around with uncertainty. Neal knew what they wanted to know and shook his head.

"I have to rest and regain my mana before I can repair it. On top of the pipe rupturing, there's lead built up in the engine which sheared the drive. All in all, it'll take a bit of doing but it can be repaired. I just don't know what'll happen between now and then. We're still in a westerly current, but I hope to find an outcropping of rocks to anchor at before we go any clos- er, _further_ , into the Forgotten Sea." Spyro and Cynder caught the hitch in his voice and glanced at him.

"Why were you about to say 'closer'? Neal, do you know what's out here?" Neal sighed, seeing he'd been caught, and nodded.

"Before we set sail, Ignitus had me look over an old map. It listed the Forgotten Sea as the _Emerald_ Sea and showed several islands in the area. All of them, once upon a time, were _human_ settlements." Cynder went wide-eyed and immediately jumped to her feet.

"How many islands were there?"

"At least a dozen, more or less." Spyro then nodded.

"Which island were you talking about then, Neal?" Neal glanced at the others, seeing they wanted the truth and he sighed.

"Eve also has the same knowledge only she told me what had happened to them. The western current runs _across_ from Blue Waters, which was our first destination but this fog and the engine failure makes it impossible to get out of the current. If we continue on a westerly course, we'll come to the island once known as Ilandia Rexis, which to my understanding was the center of government for all humans. The major city on the island was Grandis Fortunae but after the plague and the short war between humans and dragons, the place has become known as the Necropolis. The Dead City." Terra gave Neal a hard glance but then nodded. Sparx floated about and then sighed.

"Add another thing to the records the Ancestor's 'forgot' to record. So, I'll bite, why is it called the Necropolis?"

"Because the dragoness who _created_ the plague that killed off the humans also attacked the city, destroying most of it but leaving the castle unscathed. She cursed those who took shelter within its walls with a curse of undeath, similar to what I believe you said Malefor cursed the apes with after he was released." Sparx facepalmed himself.

"I had to ask. Why, oh _WHY_ did I _have_ to _**ask**_ _?!_ " Neal shrugged but then heard the door opening and a startled crewmember came in.

"You guys have _got_ to see this!"

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The slow dripping of water was the first thing that became clear. The second, the sound of the tides rushing back and forth. The next, the scent of something coming from the ocean. Vibrant. Powerful. Alive. _Human. Dragon._

A lone slitted eye opened, the natural green color long since transformed to dark red. Breath rushed from lungs that had not stirred in countless centuries. Jaws parted, condensation, decay, and muck giving the appearance that the teeth glistened with saliva and gore from recent kills, even though the last kill had been centuries ago. A voice, feminine in nature, yet resounding with power, echoed from everywhere yet nowhere.

 _'Rise. Kill, feast upon the others. The human, though, is_ _ **MINE**_ _!'_

From somewhere in the ruins of Grandis Fortunae, creatures that hid in shadows awoke and screeched into the sky, their calls a chorus of the damned that spoke only doom and damnation to all who heard them.

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Neal saw the fog disipate with the loud cry that broke the silence and it chilled his blood more than the fog had. The first thing that became clear was a decrepid old lighthouse that stood on the far bank of what was likely once a harbor. The rotted, decaying hulks of ships sat half exposed in the sea water, masts broken, decks sunken in, ribs stretching out of breaks along the hull.

Further up, were houses, some collapsed, others intact. Blown out windows held rotting curtains that fluttered in the foul breeze. Every once in a while, the wind caught a loose shutter which banged against the stone house with a sound akin to thunder. A grey palor covered everything. Then, there was a flash of crimson lightning which lit up the sky and disipated the fog for a moment revealing a great stone castle in the farthest reach of the city.

Unlike the city which was in various states of ruin and collapse, the castle, with the exception of one great stone tower, was intact. The central keep was short and squat in size but had several towers rising up from around it in a sunburst pattern. These towers were connected to the keep and to each other by several bridges at located at various points which almost reminded Neal of a spider's web.

The only tower that had collapsed was scattered along what to Neal's eye looked to be an old stone causeway for carts moving up and down the hill. As Neal turned to say something, someone gasped and Neal glanced to see a half dozen long rays of sunlight pierce through the clouds and light upon the city.

Wherever the sunlight touched, the damage was seemingly reversed for a moment. The lighthouse became sound and beautiful before reverting to its decrepid current state. Houses with gleaming white brick walls and red tile roofs appeared where ruins stood before vanishing. Ships seemed to rise from the deep to stand at attention, proudly righting themselves and bobbing majestically in the harbor before once again succumbing to whatever fate befell them.

From behind him he heard several crewmen utter startled oaths and he himself felt compelled to say a few oaths himself. Then, the strangest thing happened. A bright light burst from the lighthouse and started to rotate. A horn also sounded from the structure making Neal wonder if someone was in fact alive in this horrible place. Yet, part of him reasoned, the only reason lighthouses existed was to ward sailors and ships away from danger.

There was a slight jarring along the ship and the helmsman gave a starrtled cry.

"I've lost the rudder! She's steering herself!" Neal looked back at the wheelhouse and to his horror the wheel was indeed adjusting course all by itself.

It was turning _into_ the harbor.

Immediately, Captain Gregory grabbed for the wheel and twisted hard in the opposite direction. With a thunderous _crack_ the wooden wheel broke free of its tines and Gregory stumbled across the deck and crashed against the far side of the wheelhouse. A few broken tines from the wheel remained fixed to the helm and were still rotating slowly towards the port.

Neal could only watch as the _Guardian_ slowly, yet gracefully, slid into a vacant slot at the dock. Whether they wished it or not, they were now docked at the Necropolis.

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Something was wrong.

...

...

...

There was something else, something _new_ at the harbor! Something _alive_. Something... _human!_

...

Slowly, the figure rose and looked around. Scattered around the room were the ghastly remains of those valiant many who had taken a stand against Necoa, the thrice-damned dragoness who had laid waste to the city, its people, and the human race as a whole. The bones of some seventy valiant Knights of Fortunae were scattered about in a haphazzardly way as if someone had come here searching for something.

Another wail pierced the silence, forcing the figure to glance at the castle momentarily before returning to the harbor where the disturbance was. Silently, the spectre floated through the debris and ruins of the city, determined to reach the docks before anything else. For something told it that if it was awake...

...then so was _she_.

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Neal thanked his lucky stars he'd had the foresight to bring a few of his Forged weapons along as cargo before expending his mana on creating the ship. As habit, he glanced at his watch and saw the needle was resting on the 2. He was regaining mana but not at the speed he would have if he were fully rested and ready. Out of the box he had packed, he drew not only a new shotgun but also a BAR. He patted his sidearm and nodded to himself and then pulled the ammo belts out, fastened them, and then started back up to the deck where the others waited for him.

As he came out on deck, he saw puzzled expressions on everyone's faces as he approached them.

"What's wrong?" Spyro glanced to him and nodded.

"Listen, can you hear music?" Neal paused for a moment and then was shocked by the fact that he did indeed hear _music_ from inside the city. Most shocking was that it seemed familiar to him somehow. He then realized what it was.

"It... can't be..." Everyone glanced at Neal who had gone pale.

"That's a pump organ. More that that... that music... cliché that it is, is the Toccata and Fugue in the key of D minor." Sparx hovered nearby and smiled.

"Okay so music playing ghosts, they can't be all bad, huh?" Neal chuckled.

"Not so. The Toccata and Fugue, to my knowledge, are only played for horror stories when someone is about to die." Sparx immediately went silent and floated to Spyro and stayed silent (much to Cynder's amusement). Neal then spotted a fog swirling in the streets and took note of the peculiar green tint to it and frowned.

"Be ready! Something's in the fog!" A sound below made Neal look over the prow of the ship and he saw the four bow chasers emerge from the hull and lower to where they were aiming at the street."

From the castle, a lone bell began ringing. A low resonant tone that made Neal's head hurt. Then, suddenly, the ringing stopped. With a loud _boom_ one of the bow chasers fired, sending the 10in projectile hurtling through the fog. Then, an explosion echoed from somewhere in the fog and Neal, squinting, saw the roof of a house somewhere in the back cave it sending a cloud of dirt and debris in the air and he sighed.

"Whoever fired that cannon, I can confirm you brought the house down." One of the crew chuckled but then stopped and pointed with a curse. Neal followed his sight and saw a figure shambling about in the fog. Then there were more, and more, and more figures appearing in the fog. Gregory growled at the fog, cutlass raised.

"What in the name of-?" A number of skeletons walked out of the fog, sraps of clothes, flesh, armor, still clinging to them, hefting weapons.

The bow chasers fired in unison this time, sending four shells down onto the skeletons which exploded pulverizing the bones into powder or sending chunks or even severely damaged bones flying. Still, more skeletons rose and some of the broken bones actually came together to form entirely different skeletons. Then the chase guns fired again, this time obliterating the skeletons and, in spectacular fashion, launched an old wagon that, for some reason, had been tied to street lamp and it went flying up, over, and down into a building that the faded sign possibly said it was either a bank or a bar. Neal finished loading his shotgun to see that and grimaced.

"Now on any other day that might seem strange." He felt a tail smack him and gave a flat glance at Toxis who was looking elsewhere. Rising, Neal saw a group of skeletons trying to board the ship and pointed them out. He set the shotgun aside (remembering what happened to the last one when he tried this), grabbed a belaying pin for a temporary focus, and channeled what little mana he had left, praying it was enough.

 _"Dartus Flamere!"_

Predicatably, the belaying pin burst apart in Neal's hand, leaving him with several small scratches but a dart of flame sailed forward and struck the skeletons and exploded in brilliant fashion. The skeletons burned but didn't retreat instead they just... stood there. Neal took a moment before shaking his hand and presenting it to a crewman who hastily wrapped it. Then the undead started to back away.

Thunder crashed and lightning flared across the sky as the undead retreated. A distant roar echoed and Sparx, being alert, pointed up to the skies just in time to see something hurtle from the clouds. Neal saw it and his jaw dropped.

"Is that what I _think_ it is?" Spyro glanced up and he gasped aloud.

"It's an undead dragon!"

A horrific specticle fell from the sky. What was once a spectacular fire dragon was now a creature from nightmares. Its scales were dry, cracked, and dingy; what skin was left was blackened and leathery, bones showed throughout the body. If there was any consolation, the dragon was apparently unable to use it's fire element as where its throat was supposed to be, only a few scraps of flesh and part of what looked like an esophagus fluttered in the wind. The dragon's head turned and Neal had the feeling it was staring right at _him_.

This fact was confirmed when the dragon did a wingover (an amazing maneuver considering how little of its wings were intact), dove at the _Guardian_ , and just as Neal got a shot of his with shotgun, he found himself clutched in the dragon's talons and was aloft before anyone else could even blink.

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The spectre floated silently, watching as the dragon that had once been a dear friend pluck the living human off the ship amid the yells of the dragons and canines and the rather anguished cry of a wolf. The dragon soared overhead, heading for the castle, the human yelling and a strange explosion coming from the weapon he was holding as he flew overhead.

Silently, the spectre changed direction and started floating towards the castle. This time however, more spectres rose from rubble and joined it in a lengthy procession.

Perhaps. Perhaps their long awaited chance had arrived.

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Neal had emptied the shotgun trying to get the dragon to let him go but apparently even undead half-rotted dragons were still nearly impervious to shotgun shells. Neal gave a glance and saw it was taking him to the castle. The undead dragons gracefully swooped around the roof and glided into a large hole in the roof of the Keep and gently set him aside before standing and bowing its head. Neal glanced about the chamber and then torches started lighting themselves as his gaze fell upon them. A large chandalier and a dozen or so candelabra which were scattered about the chamber also flared to life, illuminating the corpse of a poison dragoness which was huddled in a corner.

For the first time, Neal was able to look at the floor and saw ancient blood trails dotting the room. The largest of all led to the body of the female. However, something was not quite right. A fact that was confirmed when the female's body shifted and rose with the cracking of bones, and then it shook, dislodging a veritable mountain of dust and dirt but also shaking more skin and scales off and permeating the air with an indescribable stench. As Neal watched the female right herself, the great horned head turned to face him, bright green light flashed where the two empty eye sockets were and the flash remaining around the mouth pulled back in a grisly smile.

 _"Welcome human. It has been many, many years since I last saw one of_ _ **your**_ _kind. I do hope dear Pyrite wasn't too rough with you?"_ Neal glanced to the undead male dragon.

"Pyrite? Hmm... then, may I ask your name?" The female nodded.

 _"Such manners. And yes, you may. I am Necoa, formerly a poison dragon of some renown. Now, like my poor mate, I am a prisoner of my own making."_ Neal thought the name sounded familiar and then recalled a small note he had read when with Ignitus and gasped.

"You're the dragoness who created the plague!" Necoa nodded.

 _"Yes. It was me. I bear the shame, and the following justice, that befell me for what I did. I came here, with my mate, and several other dragons intent on destroying the city. The siege lasted two weeks but eventually the city fell, the surviving humans taking shelter in this very castle. My mate wanted us to return home after that but in my pride, I lashed out against him."_ She indicated the slashed throat and the other dragon gave a rumble before turning away. Neal glanced around and noting the lack of human remains sighed.

"I'm guessing something else went wrong?" Necoa nodded.

 _"Indeed. I had cast an open-ended spell to ensure that whoever took shelter here would become undead upon their passing. Little did I know the humans had mages with them who were desperate enough to use forbidden magic to shoot me out of the sky. Only when I was on the ground did I realize that my spell was also affecting the body of my mate. Using the last of my power, I ammended the spell so that even though our bodies may decay, our souls would remain until our task was completed."_ Neal started to say something but then felt a tickle in the back of his throat and coughed. This made Necoa's eyes flash brighter.

 _"Hmm... It appears that even after all these years, it's still potent."_ Neal glanced to her.

"What do you mean?" The undead dragon's eyes flashed turning from green to red.

 _"Why, our task of course. My mate and I are trapped until_ _ **every**_ _last human is dead. I don't know how you survived for so long little one, but-" She rose and turned, her smile becoming a menacing snarl._

 _"Coming here will be the_ _ **last**_ _mistake you ever make. Even if you can survive our attacks, eventually, you_ _ **will**_ _die. You see, that little innocent cough? Not so innocent. I'm afraid you have contracted the dragon plague. Oh, and, unlike the original, I've had centuries to modify it. The original took roughly two weeks to kill the subject. You however, will be dead within the day."_ Neal snarled angrily.

"You do know I'm not alone, right?" A sound akin to nails on a chalkboard echoed and he realized Necoa was _laughing_.

 _"It doesn't matter, they will be unable to reach the castle. The spirits trapped in the city have an immense hatred for dragons. They won't even survive the night."_ Necoa then turned to her mate and nodded.

 _"Now then, it is only fitting we give you a head start before we start hunting. Best run along now, even though there is no way to escape your fate. Give us enough of a challenge and we_ _ **might**_ _end your suffering before the plague kills you."_


	33. Necropolis, Part 2

Here's Part 2. Sorry, I wrote the chapter then added the foreword as an afterthought. I am _literally_ running on two and a half hours sleep. Okay, I may have oversold the horror a bit or maybe not, you be the judge, anyway, this chapter will also have some humor in it. Trust me.

Also, my prayers are with those victims of the senseless attacks on October 31 in New York City and November 5 in Texas. My words are of little solace for those who have lost loved ones and little comfort to those harmed by these acts of terror, but it is times like this that we need to stand together, not just as a nation but as a world as a whole. Though seperated by oceans, mountains, borders, we are all one people. We have various backgrounds, ethnic cultures, religions, beliefs but in the end we are all human beings.

Call me a fool if you wish, but I'm certain that one day, these senseless attacks will cease, but until that day comes, I offer my prayers to the deceased, and to all victims of these cowardly plots.

You Are Not Alone.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 31-2: Necropolis, Part 2

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Neal couldn't help but suppress another cough as he ran through the abandoned corridors of the castle. The cold grey and blackened stones were rough and cold under his hands. Only the occasional flash of lightning lit his way as he went through the keep. His boots pounded out a hollow yet deafening echo on the cracked boken tiles on the floor. Necoa had given him a head start but he could tell that she and her mate were waiting, that they could probably still sense his presence.

Something clattered as he ran and he spared a glanced down to see part of a human skull go skittering across the floor from where he had kicked it. He paused for a moment, glanced around his surroundings and spotted a grand door hanging halfway off its hinges. Slowly pushing it open, he found himself what resembled a cathedral of some sort.

The carpet leading forward was moth-eaten and faded, several of the rews were rotten and collapsed. The bones of multiple humans lay strewn across the room yet, some of them looked off... Of course there were skeletons tossed about as if from a battle but there were also skeletons that almost looked as if they were kneeling, as if in one silent prayer before their lives were extinguished.

Worse of all there were several large skeletons crowding around several smaller skeletons as if trying to shield them from whatever horror was being inflicted upon them. In the back of the chamber, a destroyed altar stood with what looked to be the base and lower legs of some sort of statue behind it. As Neal approached the altar, he suddenly began to feel very cold. Through the blown out windows the wind whistled through creating an eerie wail.

Neal felt the familiar tickle in his throat and coughed before he could suppress it. Then another. And another. He felt his knees buckle and he fell to the floor of the chapel in a coughing fit. He tried to think, trying to focus his body to figure out a way to stop the fit but he couldn't. He raised his hand to his mouth to cover it as he coughed and felt something wet splash against his hand just as the lightning flashed.

He didn't need the flash of light that illuminated his gore-stained hand to tell him he had coughed up some blood. He sighed as the fit died down and closed his eyes, refusing to give into dispair and thinking of his brother, as well as Domino and Rivet.

They still _needed_ him!

He struggled to his knees just as a flash of lightning struck again, but this time it was different. The 'normal' lightning he had seen here was red in color. This time the flash was blue. As he thought about it, the sensation of cold lessened and he suddenly felt as if he were warming up. Another flash of blue lightning but unlike this time the flash didn't fade but remained, and in fact grew stronger. Neal suddenly realized something.

The light was coming from _behind_ him.

Immediately, he wondered if Necoa or Pyrite had already found him but then felt a sense of ease pass through him that relieved his tension.

 _'You may rest here safely, friend. The abominations cannot enter this place.'_ Neal suddenly turned and saw something that made him start doubting his own sanity.

There, sitting on the front pew, was a spirit. The spirit had the face of a man in his later years, possibly late fifties, early sixties, a full white beard, and was garbed in robes that denoted him possibly as a priest of some long forgotten religion. The spirit, as if sensing this, chuckled and nodded.

 _'You are correct in your guess. I_ _ **am**_ _in fact a priest. I, like the rest of my people here, worshipped Fortuna, the Explorer, and King of our old gods. Though, I suspect, the old ones, like their worshippers, are long dead. Still, I maintain this place through the use of magic in the event some poor soul like yourself gets snared in the Betrayer's trap.'_ Neal wanted to say something but then he fell into another coughing fit and the priest tsked to himself.

 _'It appears that the corruption still infects this place, even today. Not to worry, while the abomination may have altered her original plague, we humans weren't exactly defenceless. Nor have I been just sitting on my laurels. Just hold still for a moment...'_

The ghost priest conjured a short staff, mumbled a few words in the language Neal recognized as human magespeak, and then the crystal on the end of the staff flared a golden light and almost immediately, he felt better. The priest ghost however, slumped and sighed.

 _'I have done what I can. You are no longer in any danger of succumbing to the plague so quickly but, unless you recieve dragon's blood, willingly given, you will still die of the plague.'_ Neal nodded.

"Thank you. Now then, may I ask your name?" The ghost nodded.

 _'I was once known as Erin. I was one of several priests who tended this cathedral. The day the dragons betrayed us, I was readying the cathedral for a wedding ceremony. The daughter of Duke Alexandr of Griffon's Peak was set to wed Lord Eminrude's son. However, as you can see from the skeleton there in the corner, only the groom showed up. The ship which carried his betrothed was set upon by fire dragons and burned in the harbor.'_ Erin then pointed to the drestroyed stain glass window in the wall behind the statue and sighed.

 _'As the alarm bells sounded, an electric dragon sent a bolt of lightning through the window, striking the groom dead where he stood. It took a lot of work, but eventually we managed to secure the place against all forms of attack. It wasn't until a few centuries ago I began working on safeguarding this place so that no unsanctified dead could enter here.'_ Erin then turned back to Neal, hands folded patiently behind his back.

 _'Now then lad, tell me, who are_ _ **you**_ _?'_ Neal glanced to him and nodded.

"My name is Neal Foster. As far as I can tell, I am a descendant of Archmage Gartone and Lady Gwendolyn Arabai." Erin looked stunned.

 _'You mean, the child that was spirited away to safety?_ _ **He**_ _was your ancestor?'_ Neal nodded.

"Yes. In the short time I've been here, I have learned so much yet I still have questions. I feel as if every question I answer, ten more replace it." Erin chuckled.

 _'Such is the nature of things. Tell me, do you have the Gift?'_ Neal raised an eyebrow to him in curiousity.

"What gift do you mean? Do I possess human magic? As of three days ago, yes." Erin shook his head.

 _'Human magic is a given, considering who your Ancestor was. No, I was talking about Forge magic.'_ Neal slowly nodded and Erin beamed.

 _'Hah! Praise be all the Divines!_ _ **That's**_ _one in Necoa's eye! A_ _ **human**_ _Forger. I had known, of course, what Gartone had done and, while most were not in support of it, colluding with dragons, no one did anything. Human curiousity as to whether or not it was possible. Dragon magic being sent through a living link to a human host.'_ Neal nodded.

"Yeah, it's a hoot, but still, my mana is still too low to do anything as I used what was left trying to stop a horde of skeletons from boarding my ship." Erin looked to him curiously.

 _'What focus did you use?'_ Neal shook his head.

"A belaying pin. I don't yet have a focus, that's why I decided to check old human cities in case there was still one lying around." Erin nodded.

 _'Channeling a spell through an unenchanted item like that is dangerous. You're lucky you didn't lose your hand in the attempt. Now then, while I'd like to help you, I'm afraid there are no focuses here, at least not_ _ **intact**_ _ones.'_ Neal took his meaning and nodded.

"Can they still work?" Erin shrugged.

 _'I am a priest, not a sage. When Necoa cast her black spell turning the dead into undead, we just so happened to have seven elite mages here at the city, they weren't as powerful as your ancestor but the way they pooled their power to cast the spell they did well... as much as I am loathe to say it, considering what the spell did it was probably not the wisest action.'_

"What did they do?"

 _'After realizing that under Necoa's spell, even the dead dragons we had slain were being revived as undead, we decided to give Necoa a taste of her own medicine. The seven mages linked their focuses and committed the ultimate taboo: Blood Magic. Using that fell power, they broke Necoa's wings and sent her plumetting through the roof of the Audience chamber which is where you found her. The impact of the crash shattered all four of her legs and she was rendered immobile and an easy target for one of the last surviving Slayers to finish her off.'_ Erin then turned to the broken window and sighed.

 _'It wasn't until Necoa revived and immediately devoured the Slayer before our eyes and laughed that we realized she had used the last vestiges of her power to alter her original spell, transforming her not into an ordinary undead but something far worse. A dracolich, which is most likely something she had made plans for in the event of her death as it is not something that emrely happenes overnight. And while her broken legs keep her bound to that chamber, she can still somewhat move to attack and defend herself.'_ Neal knew what he was talking about and sighed.

"Wouldn't a lich of any sort need a gem to act as their anchor to this realm?" Erin nodded.

 _'Doubtless you saw the gaudy chain around her neck or somewhere in the chamber?_ _ **That**_ _is her recepticle but she cannot leave her body without a suitable host, one that is not hindered by mobility as you are.'_ Neal suddenly put two and two together and paled.

"She doesn't want to kill me, well, technically she does, but instead she wants to _possess_ me?" Erin nodded.

 _'That is my assumption as well. And once she is free and among your comrades, she can start killing them off and then transfer her soul to another, more suitable, body if she so chooses.'_ Neal gave Erin a sharp glance.

"How do I stop her?" Erin smiled and nodded as his determination.

 _'First thing, you need to collect the shards from_ _ **all**_ _the shattered focus crystals the mages used to bring fown Necoa. Since focuses are created with the sole purpose of using 'good' magic, the use of forbidden Blood Magic shattered them, and scattered all twenty of their shards throughout the castle. There are a few shards here but not enough for what I intend on helping you do.'_ Neal stooped over to pick up the shards Erin had pointed out and then, out of curiousity, he turned to face the ghost priest.

"Which is what exactly?" Erin gave a ghost of a smile.

 _'Find all the shards first and_ _ **then**_ _I'll tell you what I plan to do.'_

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On the _Guardian_ , things had finally calmed down somewhat. The fog had pulled back, the undead had ceased attacking, and after a rather hectic moment following Neal's abduction, Spyro and Cynder had gotten everything back under control and were trying to decide on a plan to get Neal back. Captain Gregory sat sullenly at his seat in the galley while everyone else were adding their two cents in to the plan. What everyone had in common though was that despite their brave expressions it was clear that worry for their friend weighed heavily upon them. Lyca who had been silent up to this point, finally sighed and then whistled loud enough to get their attention.

"Look, I know everyone is concerned about what dangers may still lay out there but still, it doesn't change the fact that Neal was taken by an undead _dragon_. We _have_ to rescue him!" Gregory gave a glance to her and shook his head.

"Not until day break. A place like this can't be stormclouds all day long. Besides, we have no idea whether or not he's still alive." Lyca gave Gregory a sharp glance that made the Captain rethink his words and Spyro nodded.

"Lyca's right. We can't give up on Neal. Anyway, if the undead wanted to kill him, why not just pick him up and drop him? Then again, why target him at all? The undead are not this smart unless something is guiding them or influencing them. I may not have my powers back but I'm still goign to search for Neal." Cynder gave Spyro a curious glance which Sparx mimicked and then voiced the question aloud.

"Spyro, how do _you_ know so much about the undead?" Spyro caught glances of his friend's expressions and sighed.

"It was during the time I was recovering, I went into Volteer's library and started reading whatever caught my eye. Turns out one of the books I found was a study of dark magic. I thought, to know how to best it, you must understand it. Just like Terrador always says, right?" Cynder frowned.

"Just because you wish to understand it doesn't mean you _should_ Spyro. Still, perhaps this is all for the best. Besides, I know you well enough that you won't try to actually _use_ any kind of dark magic you learn." Spyro nodded.

"You know me. I'll never utter any dark incantations. I couldn't even understand them anyway." Terra nodded.

"Good. Because it is said only those of wicked intent can read those forbidden spells. Still though, when we return Spyro, you _will_ have to answer to Volteer for going through the forbidden sections of his library archives." Spyro recoiled as if frightened but then sighed and hung his head. Cynder however chuckled and lowered a wing over him and gave him a smile which he returned. Terra then turned to the others.

"Now then, how do we proceed? There has to be debris everywhere and undead hiding in the fog. We can't afford to be seperated, ambushed, or delayed." Suddenly, a cold wind blew through the ship and they heard a faint voice.

 _'Perhaps I can be of assistance?'_ The group turned to the door and Sparx let out one of the loudest screams Spyro though him capable of.

There, standing in the doorway, was a ghost, hovering just off the ground. He was dressed in clothes but had leather armor, his hair was cut in a bowl fashion and his hands were folded behind his back. Lyca, after recovering, growled and produced the short sword she had gotten from the armory and held it at the ready.

"What and what in the name of Fenrir are _you_?" The ghost blinked once and then smiled sheepishly.

 _'Forgive the intrusion. I am..._ _ **was**_ _... Xiang Lee, a merchant from the human city of Xian, far in the distant lands. Long ago, I was selling my wares when dragons attacked the city. I, like so many others, were given arms and armor and sworn into the Fortuna Guard, the militia that served as the Watch.'_ Skylar came forward and looked him over.

"How did you die?" Xiang lowered his head and sighed.

 _'Rather horribly, yet swiftly. A fire dragon who had expended his mana, caught me in his maw and bit me in half. Amazingly I was still alive as he only devoured my legs. I was later crushed when that same dragon was shot down by mages in the Watch and his corpse landed on me. I have been wandering these streets and the docks ever since.'_

Spyro had felt himself become queasy when Xiang mentioned he had been bitten in half, nor was he the only one but young Growler was the only one who emptied his stomach.

Comically, Sparx was right next to him.

As Sparx shook his wings to clean them he then hovered next to Xiang and looked him over.

"Okay then shorty-" Xiang then suddenly glared at him.

 _'Do NOT call me_ _ **short!**_ _'_ Sparx whimpered and returned to Spyro who apologized and Xiang nodded.

 _'No, please forgive me. It is funny, I was always the most patient when it came to conversations. It seems that all these years has regretably dulled my immense store of patience.'_ Toxis nodded.

"I don't blame you. So, back to the matter at hand, you can get us through the city?" Xiang nodded.

 _'Indeed. I do believe we can get you through the city.'_ Cynder then made a coughing noise.

" _We?!_ There's more of you?" Xiang nodded.

 _'Yes. All the citizens the Betrayer, Necoa, trapped with her dark magic are here. Mind you, their spirits will not harm you, but their bodies, regretfully, are still under her thrall.'_ Xiang smiled.

 _'For all Necoa's power, natural, stolen, and evil that it is, she cannot hold dominion over the souls of the pure and innocent. The bodies, which are corrupt vessels, can however be controlled.'_ Spyro nodded but then stopped.

"This Necoa you speak of, is she still alive after all this time?" Xiang shook his head.

 _'Not alive in the sense you know it. She, along with her mate, were killed but then she did something to alter her original spell, giving her the powers of something called a 'Dracolich'. She still holds on to whatever simblance of life she can in the ruins of the castle where she was brought down and executed. Her mate, poor Pyrite, was a good friend of mine. He tried to dissuade her from any further bloodshed and for his 'weakness' Necoa tore out his throat with her own fangs.'_

 _'The dragon who abducted your friend was Pyrite, once, though truthfully, I doubt he is still sane. He follows Necoa's orders faithfully as if he were enslaved to her. Alas, with his throat torn, he has no voice for himself and thus, no means of resisting.'_

The dragons grimaced and frowned at the wicked deeds this Necoa had done when another spirit suddenly appeared and Sparx screamed once again and Spyro glared at him.

"Are you going to do that every time a ghost appears?" Sparx gave a dignified cough and folded his hands behind his back.

"Yes. Yes I may." Then Xiang got a worried look and turned back to the others.

 _'Malcolm here tells me that Sir Feuder has seen lights moving about the castle, as if seeking something. However, our friend in the castle, Father Erin, has only told us the worst news.'_ Lyca clenched her fists.

"What happened?" Xiang started to speak but the second ghost beat him to it.

 _'Apparently, your friend Neal is unharmed, however, by being is such close contact with Necoa, he inadvertantly contracted the Plague. He has until the end of tomorrow to be cured or else he joins us in undeath.'_

There was a wail from down below and Sparx screamed until Gregory came up behind him and shut him in a small glass lantern that muted him. Through the floorboards, Eve appeared and materialized.

 _"He contracted the_ _ **Plague**_ _?!"_ Malcolm nodded.

 _'Indeed. He was already in the later stages when Father Erin guided him to the chapel and did what he could to stop it. At best, Erin's magic, such as it is, has bought him eight hours. At the moment, he is helping Erin by looking for the shattered focus crystals the mages who brought Necoa crashing down used so that she can be defeated once and for all. However, therin lies the problem, of all the dragons, Necoa was the one who created the plague but she was also the one who devised its cure.'_ Eve looked to him.

 _"And the cure would be?"_ Xiang sighed.

 _''Dragonia Ichoris', literally, Dragon Ichor, or Dragon's Blood. It was apparently the way Necoa and the rest of the treacherous dragons wanted to control us. Err... not that you lot are the same as they were.'_ Malcolm interrupted.

 _'However, there_ _ **is**_ _a slight danger. You see, the dragons blood must be ingested to be effective.'_ Xiang facepalmed himself.

 _'Not only that, but a common tale was that the human who consumed the blood was magically linked to that dragon. Taking the dragon blood was the same as slipping a collar over one's head, becoming a slave to the dragon who had saved them.'_ Malcolm nodded with a scowl.

 _'Indeed. In fact, a dragon who was sympathetic to us told us the whole story. Human 'survivor' settlements would be divided among dragons who were either noble, distinguished themselves in battle against Malefor's forces, or were simply favorites by Councilors Braquine, Caldinar, and Sarvax. In short, each so-called 'Hero', 'Noble', or close friend would have a village of human slaves once the Plague died out and Malefor was vanquished.'_

This made everyone frown angrily but Lyca also worried.

"Neal is a human, but also has human magic, and is also a Forger. He won't be enslaved, will he?" Xiang shook his head.

 _'I don't know. It is entirely possible. Or maybe nothing will happen. Most of what we heard was pure specualtion or rumors from islands and settlements affected by the Plague.'_ Eve sighed.

 _"So then, we have to choose amongst us who will cure Neal of the Plague. Either we cure him, or he suffers a fate worse than death."_ Malcolm nodded.

 _'However, he will most certainly die if we don't get you to him quickly. Thankfully, our friends are making enough noise to wake the dead... pun intended-'_ Sparx opened the lantern with a frustrated expression.

"That was horrible!"

He then shut the lantern back and Malcolm continued as if never interrupted.

 _'Anyway, the spirits of our fallen friends and family are rising and we shall combat the undead hordes, giving you ample time to reach the castle, and your friend.'_

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Neal managed to crawl through the ruins of what had once been a dining hall and smiled wanly when he picked up yet another crystal shard that had evidentally been imbedded in the table with tremendous force. He quietly wondered to himself how much energy was required to embed the shard into the solid oak table like it had been.

Having lost his BAR and his shotgun earlier, Neal felt the familiar weight of his sidearm but also grasped the handle of the mace he had found earlier while exploring what had once been an armory. Fifteen shards of several different crystals created a small bulge in his coat pocket. These shards seemed to, for lack of a better word, vibrate with potential and stored energy and they also gave off a slight glow.

Interesting thing, the closer he was to a shard, the brighter the shards he carried glowed and eventually the shard he was hunting would also begin glowing. He began to have thoughts as to what kinds of focuses there were. So far he had all three pieces of a six-sided ruby crystal, four pieces of a long blue twelve-sided crystal, three pieces of two different gold colored crystals, all three pieces of a large green sphere, one piece of a multi-hued prism, and one pinky-sized fragment of a white teardrop-shaped crystal.

Vaguely, he wondered just how many types of focus crystals there were and, for that matter, how many tools could be used to channel that ability. His thoughts drifted to his ancestor, the Archmage, and he wondered what sort of focus crystal he used. A small glint of white got his attention and he knelt to pick up another shard of the tear crystal and smiled.

"Four to go. Now then, where else could they be?" Just as he straightened himself up, rush of fetid air rushed past him and he growled in disgust. He turned and saw Pyrite standing at the door to the chamber, the remaining flesh on his muzzle pulled back in a victorious sneer. Neal, not to be outdone, returned the smile.

"Okay, you found me. You still have to catch me though." The sneer faded to a flat look that seemed to say 'Really?' and then, before Neal could blink, Pyrite burst through the rotting doors and charged into the room, scattering tables, benches, chairs, and bones everywhere.

Immediately, Neal drew his sidearm and started firing at Pyrite's skull. He couldn't be sure, but it looked to be a section of bone that was damaged as if a hammer had connected, cracking the skull but obviously not destroying the undead dragon. Yet, try as he might, the blasted pistol rounds just slammed into the skull and bounced off with a shower of sparks. He dove to the side to avoid Pyrite's attack, then slid under his head and emptied the rest of the clip into the exposed neck, on the off chance that one of the rounds would rip through enough to rattle around in the creature's skull and put an end to him.

No such luck.

Dropping the empty clip and loading a fresh one, he dove between Pyrite's legs and had to roll to the side just as the dragon dropped his body down onto the ground where Neal had just been. The force of the slam ripped dead scale and decaying flesh open, revealing the half rotted and deformed muscles and organs underneath as well as starting to seep a thick, horrible smelling black sludge that made Neal recoil and fight to avoid retching.

A cautious glance to Pyrite showed that, even mute, he was enjoying this fight. However Neal couldn't tell if he was presenting a genuine challenge or if the undead dragon was just toying with him.

Realizing he couldn't win this fight through force of arms, he decided upon a different approach. Neal then gazed around at the architecture of the building and was struck with an idea. It was a long shot but he had to try it.

"I wonder, how many times did you come into this chamber in ancient times? Erin told me that you and Necoa made your nest here and you both were the protectors of this island, that's why she's called 'the Betrayer'." Pyrite huffed but still gazed around the chamber. Neal noticed a wistful look in one of his glazed over eyes and decided to see if he could push deeper.

"How many times did you and Necoa come in here, sit with the humans who lived here, ate, drank, joked, laughed, and simply enjoyed each other's company? I mean, now that I see it, Necoa probably not so much, she seems an 'anti-human' kind of dragon. But you, Erin said that not a day went by you weren't here checking up on things, hearing the latest news, asking if anyone needed their Protector's help with something." Neal thought he saw something and then glowered as he heard something and glanced down to see a small child's skeleton near where he had just found the shard.

"How many of these people. Men. Women. _Children_. How many died cursing you with their last breath? How many screamed, pleaded, begged as you cut them down? How many innocent lives did you end that day? Lives that _trusted_ you? _Loved_ you?" Pyrite lowered his head and stared at Neal. Even though the undead dragon's eyes were colorless, he had the expression that he had struck a nerve.

"You were killed by your own mate for speaking against her on something, right? Why then didn't you say something to her _before_ this massacre happened?!" Pyrite's eyes remained pale but for some reason, Neal got the impression the dragon's lower jaw was quivering. Suddenly, a familiar feeling brushed against Neal.

 _'He didn't know.'_

Neal jumped and turned to see a spirit appear, clad in plate armor with a ripped surcoat that displayed a great blue diamond, held aloft by two dragons rampant, one red, one green, and a golden crown suspended above the diamond. The figure looked to Neal and then returned his gaze to Pyrite.

 _'Poor Pyrite. All these years and you still fume that your once beloved mate robbed you of the ability to defend yourself, vocally as well as offensively. Only I, a man accused of being a coward, and a traitor, know your pain, and your truth.'_ The specter turned to face Neal fully.

 _'Pyrite and I were tasked with patroling the northern isles. However, for the strangest reasons, other dragons kept delaying us from returning. They kept us running around the isles claiming false threats that kept us flying in circles for several days. It wasn't until one day we say a pillar of smoke on the horizon that we hurried home and by that time the battle was over. Necoa had won.'_

 _'To answer your question, how many did Pyrite kill? None. He was nowhere near the city when the attack happened. Since I was a dragon knight, partnered with our Protector, other dragons knew they couldn't harm me or it would arouse his suspicions.'_ Neal glanced to Pyrite who had sunk to the floor of the chamber and he could have swore the undead dragon's breathw as coming in gasping heaves as if he were trying to weep but couldn't.

 _'Upon our return, I left to seek out survivors in the castle and Pyrite went to stop his mate. I made it to the main gate but was immediately arrested and charged with cowardice and treason. People were scared, they didn't want to hear the truth, they just saw me, the Protector's Paladin, in my unscuffed armor and unbloodied sword and assumed I had hid.'_ The warrior turned and glanced to a rafter in the back of the room.

 _'I was executed here. After Pyrite had been killed and Necoa shot down. The survivors threw a rope over the rafter there and hung me. A traitor's death.'_ Neal faced Pyrite who looked so miserable he couldn't help but feel pity.

"Why doesn't he fight against her then?" The warrior sighed.

 _'He wants to be free. He's accepted he cannot be redeemed for what he did. He will not rest peacefully with his Ancestors, instead he will endure eternity in the Abyss, reliving every single moment of that attack as if he had partaken in it. For that to happen, the last human must die.'_ Neal glanced to him and then to the undead dragon.

"It's not going to happen you know." Pyrite looked to him curiously and Neal nodded.

"In the first place, I'm not the last human in the world. My older brother is here and he is far away from this place. Plus, how can you truly believe that the human survivors haven't reestablished themselves somewhere else and that their descendants haven't been steadily growing in number? Secondly, Necoa doesn't plan to kill me, she plans to _possess_ me and then leave this place, abandoning _you_ here to remain amid the ruins." Pyrite recoiled as if he'd been stung and then gave a glance to the warrior who nodded.

 _'It seems the most logical thing. Necoa has had centuries to plan her next move. Unlike you my old friend, she is a true dracolich while you are more like an undead that simply retains its faculties. She can possess a recently dead body and escape whereas you cannot. That's why she kept you asleep for so long so that your mind didn't decay along with your body. Just as before, she's_ _ **using**_ _you.'_ Pyrite glanced between Neal and the knight and then heaved a great sigh and sink to the floor. The ghost turned to Neal.

 _'Pyrite is submitting himself to your judgement. As a Protector, he failed, and then compounded that failure by helping Necoa in his current undead form. You can end him, but it would be wise to use that mace and not whatever it is you were using before.'_ Neal glanced to Pyrite and then sighed.

"Not just yet. Pyrite, do you wish for a chance to redeem yourself?" Pyrite raised his head and glanced at Neal curiously.

"I need to find the remaining shards of these focus crystals. If I can reassemble them, I _might_ be able to stop Necoa once and for all. To do that, I think I may need your help and, through your actions, you may just atone for your inability to stop the horrors that happened here, as you say, you were no where near this place when the attack happened."

Pyrite gazed at Neal for the longest time, then, he gave a small smile and nodded.

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Sorry guys, had to split it again. Part 3 will soon be up. With the Provencal Fall Fest coming up again, I've got my hands full.


	34. Necropolis, Part 3

Okay guys, after several unplanned breaks (and a binge of playing Pillars of Eternity on Xbox One), here is the third and final part of the Necropolis! Hopefully, I'll get this done before the upcoming runoff election this Saturday and then start work on the next arc of the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 31-3: Necropolis, Part 3

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Lightning arced across the sky, and thunder rattled moments afterward. Old doors and shutters on houses swung in the damp, rancid breeze slamming shut with a louder than normal crash. The fog that filled the ruined city seemed to encroach one moment and then recede as the phantoms of the knights marched by. The streetlamps flickered as Spyro, Cynder, and the others passed by. Sparx kept glancing worriedly around as each set of ancient lamps lit for only a moment in a pale blue light before going out, once again allowing darkness to shrowd the groups steps. Finally he flew forward and grabbed onto Spyro's horns.

"Is it just me, or does anybody else find this disturbing?" Spyro nodded and one of the spirits sighed.

 _'These streetlamps contain special crystals that resonate with magic. In the days of yore, apprentice mages would walk the streets, practicing the Illumination spell that was a requirement for those who explored caves, ruins, and other old structures where light wasn't always available.'_ Another spirit chuckled and nodded.

 _'Many a young dragon looking for adventure, and a decent start to their horde, sought out the Mages Guild and the Fortuna Knighthood for explorers to accompany him or her on some adventure or another.'_ At that moment, another spirit, this one clad in robes with a hood pulled up spoke.

 _'Indeed. Lighting the lamps along the streets was the task for many a young mage. It was meant to imprint the Illuminate spell into their fertile minds so that even in utter chaos, they would always know how to shine a light on things.'_ The warrior coughed.

 _'And then follow up the light with a fireball up the ass of whatever was lurking in the darkness.'_ The mage nodded.

 _'Quite. Although, for me, I preferred ice spells because they can be used with any source of water. Be it a river, ocean, swamp, melting snow, even sweat or in extreme cases blood, there is infinite possibilities for ice magic.'_ Spyro chuckled.

"You sound like Cyril. He's the Guardian of Ice. Always going on about the proud ancestral lineage of ice dragons and the 'nobility' of ice powers." The mage chuckled.

 _'Sounds like he was a descendant of Ragnaros. Now_ _ **there**_ _was an ice dragon with an ego that would have made even the most pompous of nobility grimace. To hear him talk you'd have thought that ice dragons were responsible for the polar ice caps, the snow caps on the mountains, and the stars in the sky. He himself probably thought he'd created the moons out of polished ice and hung them in the heavens. Hmm... I wonder what happened to him...'_ Sparx took a moment to galnce about and then huffed.

"Whatever you say. I still say it's creepy." Spyro glanced about and then nodded.

"I'm more creeped out about the fog. It almost seems alive." The mage chuckled.

 _'In a manner, it_ _ **is**_ _. You see, long before the Betrayer, we always had problems with pirates. Eventually the mages in Blue Waters came up with an ingenious spell that shrouded all human cities that housed a crystal called a 'Grand Focus' in a thick, unassailable fog. Every night, as the apprentices were lighting the lamps, the senior mages were at the docks, the Grand Focus, and several other key places chanting the spell to summon the fog that would blanket and protect us until sunrise.'_ Terra heard this and glanced to the mage.

"How did ships come into harbor then?" The mage shrugged.

 _'They didn't. There are small but well defended alcoves where ships could anchor until the coming day. Dragons flying in at night also were directed to these alcoves to rest until daybreak. The reason the fog is as you see it now is because only the Grand Focus was awakened when the dragons attacked. Because the buffers surrounding the city were not set, the fog slowly crept outward, winding in and around itself until the entire island and eventually the entire sea was covered. Most likely the same fate befell the other cities but I cannot be sure.'_

Growler and Toxis kept wary, glancing down each and every alley and side street they passed, all the while glancing uncertainly as more spirits appeared and joined the growing group.

As they passed what had once been a tavern, a sudden flash of light got Growler's attention. Glancing to Toxis who hadn't seen it yet, he had just enough time to shout a warning before tackling Toxis to the side as a bolt of liquid fire shot past and slammed into a street lamp.

The two dragons tumbled and crashed through the storefront, shattering ancient glass and wood work and crushing a table as another bolt, this one of ice, shot past. Growler opened his eyes and found himself pinned by Toxis who gazed at him with a stunned expression as she glanced between him and the frozen street lamp. Growler suddenly sighed and gave a half smile.

"That was a close call, wasn't it?" Toxis glanced down at the male she had pinned and returned the smile.

"Thanks for the heads up. Maybe though, next time let's _not_ crash through a tavern wall?" Growler nodded as Toxis shifted her weight to climb off from on top of him just as a cough came from outside and the two turned to see Terra, Spyro, and Cynder smiling and obviously fighting to hold back their laughter. Terra was the first to break the silence.

"If we weren't stressed for time I'd give you two some time alone." Growler coughed, his face reddening and he was relieved to see a similar blush grace Toxis' face as well.

"Sorry Sergeant. What was that by the way?" One of the spirits came forward.

 _'I think that was a spell cast by one of the undead. You've seen how some undead still wield the weapons they wielded in life? Well, some of the undead were once mages, they may have lost their focus crystals but they can still cast some spells.'_ The sound of creaking bones echoed from the fog and one of the spirits crouched low.

 _'Speaking of the dead, I believe they are coming.'_

Skylar and Lyca shared a glance before readying their weapons and preparing to face the undead.

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Neal spared a glance to Pyrite who stood stoicly beside the spirit of his rider as he dug through the rotten remains of what had once been a bookshelf filled with the mildew damaged and worm riddled remains of books. All he needed was two more pieces and then he would have been able to return to Erin with the focus crystals. Still, he was curious as to what the priest was going to do. He turned to the rider, who he now knew as William, and coughed to get his attention.

"Do you have any idea what Erin might want these crystals for?" William shrugged but then a second later placed a hand on his chin.

 _'I do not know the ways of priests and mages, but there is a possibility. In this castle, there is a tremendous focus crystal known as the Grand Focus. It is the crystal that uses mana to create this unnatural fog to protect our lands and cities. However, Necoa, having lacked the ability to stop or destroy it herself, decided to use it to her advantage.'_ Neal spared a curious glance and motioned for William to continue as he pulled a shard from the pile he was digging through.

 _'Let's just say that not_ _ **all**_ _of the city's, or the island's for that matter, citizens died in the attack. For roughly eight years after the attack, people survived in the city, fortifying buildings, salvaging what they could, anything they could do to survive until help arrived. However, the fog had grown out of control and was now being used by Necoa to plant her undead hordes in. Slowly but surely, the undead began to use the fog to creep about to these supposed 'safe houses' and would batter them in and slaughter the survivors until finally no one remained.'_

 _'I do not doubt there is still one or two safe houses out there that remained unbreached but likely the inhabitants all died long ago for lack of food, water, medicine, among other things.'_ Neal nodded.

"So I'm going to use these crystals to destroy the Grand Focus?" William nodded.

 _'These undead, they cannot stand the light, prefering to dwell in dark places. Eliminate the fog, your friends will have an easier time getting to you. Then, destroy Necoa, and her spell cloaking the island in eternal night shall be broken as well and the sun shall shine down and destroy any undead that still roams the streets.'_ Neal nodded but then remembered something.

"I thought Necoa's spell couldn't be broken until the entire city and castle sank into the sea?" William shrugged.

 _'I don't know. Knowing how spiteful she is it's possible. However, both Pyrite and myself were dead but hadn't been anchored yet so we wouldn't know.'_ Neal nodded and then grinned as he pulled the last shard free and it flew of it's own accord to the prism crystal which then became a single, flawless, seemless crystal. Al seven focus crystals shined with light for a moment before becoming dim again and Neal turned triumphantly back to William and Pyrite.

"Let's get back to Father Erin."

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The group continued on throught the streets. The last encounter with the undead confirmed what the group had thought. The closer they got to the castle, the more undead there seemed to be. Spyro glanced about at the undead soldier he had ripped apart and sighed.

"It seems that the closer we get to the castle, the more of them there are." One of the spirits nodded.

 _'The Betrayer... she feels threatened, and rightfully so. I think she may just be regretting capturing your human companion. She's calling her undead servants to protect her.'_ The group walked by a large building that had been boarded up and Sparx noticed a faint trace of blue paint around the doorframe.

"What gives? Why is there blue paint on a doorframe?" One of the spirits turned and sighed.

 _'That was once a safe house. You see, not all humans died in the initial assault and siege of the city. Some survived and with no means of escsape, fortified whatever buildings they could with whatever they could and hunkered down awaiting rescue. Some safe houses were found and breached by Necoa's undead hordes, others, like this one apparently, were left alone or were never discovered.'_ Another spirit spoke up.

 _'This safe house was once the Meade Bakery. I remember, vaguely, that over three dozen people took shelter here. Over the course of eight years, they were slowly picked off by the undead one by one. The only bodies in there now are the children the parents left behind for safety as they went in search of supplies or other safe houses.'_ Lyca glanced to the spirit who had spoken.

"Did you have-?" The spirit shook her head.

 _'No, my children and I died together when the safe house at Gold Row was breached by undead. We and several others had taken shelter in the home of a noble who had died in the attack. For the first year it was almost like we, the peasants, had become nobles. But after the first undead attack and realizing we neede to fortify our home, the novelty wore off. We lived like that, scrounging, scavenging, trading with other safe houses, for about five years.'_ A spirit huffed.

 _'The Betrayer had been sensing that there were humans still alive in the city. She sent her undead forces against any locations in which she sensed a lot of activity. Many places fell this way because either they had too many people or they had been doing too much at any given time. The longest hold out was Dockyard Nine by the virtue of sheer distance from the castle, being self-supporting, and not sending out scavengers.'_ Cynder glanced to the spirit who had spoken.

"What happened?" The spirit seemed to act sheepishly suddenly and then another spirit spoke.

 _'Dockyard Nine was built upon an old dock that hadn't been maintained for some time. In the middle of the night when the entire settlement was asleep, the timbers cracked and the whole damn thing fell into the sea and everyone drowned.'_ Cynder nodded but didn't say anything else and Sparx rejoined Spyro and continued glancing around. Lyca had picked up the pace and came alongside the others and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I'd give almost anything to know what Neal is doing right this minute."

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Despite Erin's initial displeasure at having William _and_ Pyrite come into the chapel right behind Neal, he soon relented as the barrier he had erected only stopped soulless undead and evil from entering. The very fact that Pyrite was able to enter the chapel meant that he truly wasn't evil as they had thought. Seven focus crystals, whole and complete, lay on the shroud upon the old altar to Fortuna. Though Erin didn't speak, Neal somehow knew what he was doing thanks in part to William who stood amazed.

 _'I have never seen this done before. Energizing the focus crystals with mana was something the mages were very secretive about. The crystals act as more than a focus, believe it or not. They also act as individual mana sources for mages to draw upon. Each crystal generates its own mana but to draw that power out, the mage must put some mana into the crystal.'_ Neal nodded.

"So it's like a battery but as you're drawing energy from it you must also replace some, right?" William nodded.

 _'I have no knowledge of this 'battery' of which you speak but yes, to use the crystal's energy you must give the crystal a little of your own. It is believed that the more you do this, the more attuned you become to your crystal and eventually you will be able to cast whatever spell you wish without having to sacrifice your own energy. Of course, the only person I have heard of this happening for is the Archmage.'_ Neal nodded his understanding but then saw the crystals start to flash and gazed back.

"So if it's a _mage_ art, how is Erin doing this?" William shrugged.

 _'It was said that Erin was once an adventurering mage of some renown. Everywhere he went, he carved his own mark into the ruins to mark the paths he had already walked and cleared. However, one day he and his entire team of eighteen explorers went into an unknown ruin. Seven days later, only Erin emerged, bloody, half-mad, and couldn't stop weeping for several days.'_

 _'When he finally got around to talking, he said there was something down in those ruins that had killed everyone on his team and that only he had managed to escape. Several groups were dispatched to these ruins but they never found the entrance to them. After that, Erin became a priest and that's that. His mark though, in case you ever decide to go dungeon delving, is a seven-pointed star in a circle with the rune for 'safe' etched in the center.'_ William then gave Neal a sly look and edged closer.

 _'It was said that he also always let the better parts of whatever treasure he found in those old ruins in special areas with a different mark. If you find a mark that is unlike the rest, you will have found his stash. No idea what that mark would look like though.'_ At that moment, the crystals flashed and Erin slumped from behind the altar with an exhausted expression.

 _'It... is... done... The crystals... are fully charged. Now, quickly, take them... to the top... of the south tower... the Grand Focus... is there... Use those crystals... to silence it...'_ Neal nodded and turned to William.

"What's the quickest way to the south tower?" William pointed to a door on the far side of the chapel and Neal was off like a shot.

Upon leaving the chapel, Neal ascended a tall winding staircase that was lined with crystals that suddenly lit up whenever he passed by them. A sudden draft caught his attention and he momentarily looked left and had to fight the reflex to grab hold of something as a huge section of the wall had been torn away revealing a very impressive, albeit disturbing, view of the city. The wind seemingly picked up and he could have swore he felt the tower rock a little ways in the wind but then took a deep breath, steadied himself, and continued up the tower.

Finally, after climbing what seemed like eighteen stories, Neal burst through the door at the top of the tower and froze where he stood in awe. Before him, hovering in place, was a _massive_ twenty-sided crystal that slowly spun on its vertical axis and gave off a muted blue-grey glow. The crystal was easily as large as a large school bus and pulsed with an unseen inner power of some sort.

Neal suddenly felt a cold breeze from behind him and saw seven shades, not actual spirits like Erin or William, just... fragments, walk onto the parapet that surrounded the crystal. The one furthest from him looked to the one next to him.

 _'The Betrayer has breached the lower wall and will soon reach the castle!'_ The mage nodded and turned his attention to the one across from him.

 _'Indeed. We must ensure that the city not fall to her, to do that, we must eliminate her greatest resource, the dragons we've seen flying just off shore.'_ Then, a female voice spoke up.

 _'If she cannot call her reinforcements to capture the city, we may yet have a chance to push her and the other wyrms back!'_ The shades all looked to the one by the podium and he gave a slow solumn nod.

 _'I agree. All together, now, awaken the Grand Focus!'_ The shade closest to Neal raised both hands high into the air and began chanting in soft tones. Then, the next raised his hands and did likewise. Then the next, then another, and another. They chanted and raised their hands in a clockwise pattern. As their chanting picked up in both volume and speed, their spirits seemed to glow a little brighter. Finally, the last mage lifted his hands and finished the spell.

 _'Be thou the shield that comforts our peoples in darkness! Stretch thine arms over this land, blanket us, protect us, and harbor no evil! Enshroud, Envelope, Protect, and never Falter!'_

A clap of thunder echoed once and the shades vanished. Neal looked down to the crystals and realized that now only one of them was glowing. As he moved around the crystal, the original glowing crystal went out and another, the tall blue one, started glowing. Realizing what this meant, he set the glowing crystal down and walked to the next position where another crystal began to glow.

He set the glowing red crystal down and walked to the next position where a gold crystal glowed. Then, on a feeling, he walked to the area opposite of the gold one he had just set down and the other gold crystal began glowing.

This went on a few more times until all Neal had left was the multicolored prism. The stone pedistal was a shadow of its former image, having been broken in several places and worn away by the passage of time, still, the crystal seemed to recognize its position and glowed fiercely. Then, slowly, Neal was aware of a voice.

It was coming from the prism.

 _'Who are you? Why have you awakened us?'_ Neal sighed.

"I am Neal Foster, descendant of Archmage Gartome." He felt more than saw stunned silence from the crystals.

"The Betrayer still lives in the ruins, and her undead are shrowded in the fog. I ask you, please, lift the fog so that my comrades may reach the castle and help me end her once and for all." The prism flared brightly.

 _'So! Gartome's child survived! Hah! That's one in Lantan's eye. Now then, stopping the fog... Very well then, child. Please stand by the pedistal and do and say exactly as I instruct you.'_ Neal nodded and did so and vaguely heard a sound as if the prism was clearing itself to speak.

 _'O Great Guardian and Shield of our Home!'_

 _'The Threat has Gone and the Dawn Now Breaks!'_

 _'Raise Up Your Shrowd so that We may Greet the Day!'_

 _'Draw back the Fog that Embraces our People!'_

 _'And Rest for the Coming Day with our Gratitude and Thanks!'_

Neal repeated the incantation. As he finished the first verse, the light slowly faded from the crystal. Upon completion of the second, the rotation slowed. The third saw it stop entirely. The fourth phrase muted the light further and Neal suddenly felt a strong wind start to blow. Despite the wind threatening to tear his voice away, it seemed as though the fifth incantation was spoken and unhindered by the wind. There was a burst of red, blue, and green lightning and three simultaneous claps of thunder. The Grand Focus became transparent and slowly lowered itself to the ground and was stilled.

A sense of peace filled Neal and he glanced down from the tower to see the fog slowly rolling its way out to see, revealing the destroyed city that had been hidden beneath it. Then, from the audience chamber, he heard an anguished and yet furious roar and gave an inward smile.

"I don't think Necoa liked that too much!"

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The group had reached the gates of the castle just as the wind suddenly picked up and the thunder clapped, nearly scaring the life out of Sparx who then looked around and saw the fog banks leaving out to see and pointed them out.

"You know? On any other day that might seem strange." One of the spirits laughed.

 _'He did it! He cleared the fog!'_ A furious roar echoed from somewhere above and Spyro grimaced.

"That sounds like one angry dragon." Another spirit nodded.

 _'It's Necoa! She can sense the fog is gone! Hurry dragons, take to the air and fly to the audience chamber! That's where you'll find Necoa and most likely that's where your friend is headed now!'_ The armor clad spirit turned to the others that had joined with them as they went through the Necropolis.

 _'Citizens of Grandis Fortuna! After many centuries of agonized waiting, we finally have our chance at freedom! For the People! For Ilandia Rexis! For the Divines! Clear the unsanctified dead from our halls and drive the Betrayer into oblivion!'_

The spirits charged forth into the castle, their bodies passing through the ruined doors and almost immediately the echoes of combat filled the air. Terra turned to Lyca and Skylar and nodded to them, giving them permission to climb onto her back. Toxis and Growler shared a glance to one another and took to the skies. They were followed by Terra who in turn was followed by Spyro and Cynder.

The Audience Chamber was actually quite easy to find now that they were up in the air. The remains of a massive dome with broken timbers marked the entrance and once they reached it, they dove through and landed on the ancient stone floor. Spyro glanced about and saw their foe. Necoa, the dracolich, hunkered down near the remains of the throne, the green lights in her skull glowing menacingly.

 _"So... the friends of the last human have arrived..."_ Her gaze turned to Spyro.

 _"And with a young purple in tow... My, my, my. How ironic. I destroyed this city so that the Elders could focus solely on destroying Malefor. I had no idea that_ _ **another**_ _purple had been hatched."_ Spyro growled and stepped forward.

"We're here to stop you Necoa! You will no longer hold these innocents captive!" Necoa chuckled.

 _"Really? Well then, I suppose you had best find your friend first, you see, I'm well aware of what that little toad Erin did to prolong his existance, but the plague is slowly growing stronger. If I were you, I'd find him before he succumbs to it."_

At that moment, the doors to the far side of the chamber cracked open and in stepped Pyrite and clutched in one of his forefeet was Neal who hung limply. Necoa gaved to him and tsked.

 _"Pyrite, dear, you didn't already kill him did you? I'll admit him banishing the fog like he did was a little unexpected but it hardly warranted his death."_ Pyrite gave a sidelong glance at the other dragons and then gave a partial smile and set Neal down who then rose to his full height and glared at Necoa.

"Actually Necoa, it seems Pyrite here had a change of heart. He is sick and tired of being blamed for something that **he had no part in**! You killed him for trying to stop you during that attack! He fought you, and you killed him, right?" Necoa chuckled.

 _"Finally, you guessed the truth. Yes, I_ _ **did**_ _kill Pyrite. I felt, why should I call a weakling who balks at shedding human blood? Once Pyrite was dead I could have had my pick of any dragon who had fought alongside me in the battle, then those wretched humans shot me down and their Slayer killed me! But now, now you have so graciously brought not only a purple dragon but also a shadow dragon, an earth dragon, a venom dragon,_ _ **and**_ _an ice dragon to me."_ She chuckled.

 _"I really should thank you for providing me with my means of escape after all these years but you know? I think I'd rather just kill you. Besides, I don't want the body swapping process interrupted while I cast it."_ Neal gave her a flat glance.

"You won't get the chance! Pyrite, now!" Pyrite opened his maw and out fell the seven focus crystals Neal had used to dispell the fog. The crystals flashed once, then hovered in the air and circled around Neal. The crystals slowly began to glow steadily brighter and Neal suddenly felt more energized. He glanced down at his watch and saw the mana gauge jump from the 1 all the way around to the 12 and he gave a smile.

"My mana is fully recharged, and while normal human weapons don't have an effect against dragonscale, even ancient dead scales, I think this on the other hand might just do it." Neal cracked his knuckles, channeled his mana, and then in a flash, he had a large weapon before him that none of the others had seen before. Eve suddenly appeared from her Book and glanced through it before gazing back to him.

 _"Neal! That weapon is too heavy to fire standing!"_ Neal gave her a confidant nod but still hefted the weapon, a WWI German T-Gewehr, loaded the massive 13mm round and under his breath muttered something.

"God help my shoulder withstand this thing."

During WWI, the T-Gewehr had been created to asnwer better tank armor that had rendered earlier K rounds useless. Derived from the so-called 'elephant guns' of the day, the recoil had been known to break the collarbone of the soldier shooting the weapon. Still, to best dragonscale, which in its own right was like tank armor, only an anti-tank rifle would do.

Neal pulled the trigger, and immediately felt as if his shoulder had been hit with a sledgehammer at full swing. The rifle produced a thunderous noise that momentarily deafened him but he saw the round sail forth, striking Necoa's body just above the right flank and rip through the scales with no effort on its part. This was the que everyone had been waiting for. Cynder charged forth, shadow flames blazing at the dracolich. Toxis, knowing her venom was useless, opted for a more 'claws on' approach.

Growler created several ice spears and launched them at Necoa while Terra did the same but with earth spears. Spyro joined Toxis in the melee but at the same time kept his eyes on Cynder to make sure she was faring alright. Then, he vaguely heard something and turned to see Neal, having reloaded the weapon (and conjured something to support his obviously hurting shoulder) level the rifle and fire again, this time though, Necoa ducked at the last moment and the round shot one of the horns on her head in half.

Necoa screamed in rage and frustration and unleashed a cloud of toxic gas from her maw that shot towards Neal. However, thankfully, Cynder was there and, using her wind element, blew the poison out the hole in the wall. Necoa then tried a different approach. With her legs still shattered from being shot down centuries before, she was vulnerable, but her tail was still able to move.

She swung her tail around, slamming it into Pyrite who had seen her plan and tired to pin the tail, and then whipping it around and slamming it down, hard, aganst Terra who tumbled over and fell onto Growler who belatedly launched an ice spear that embedded itself in Necoa's right eye socket but then created a snow drift to cushion his and Terra's fall.

Neal hurried to reload the rifle but Necoa wasn't going to give him the chance, she opened her maw but instead of using her element, she said a few words and Neal suddenly felt the rifle being ripped from his grasp and sailing across room to Necoa's jaws where she bit down on the rifle, breaking it in half.

Thinking of something, Neal saw an old sword lying on the floor, half rusted and pitted with age but still usable. He hefted the weapon experimentally and found it to be perfectly balanced, then he charged into the melee as well. The first swing he felt the blade skitter off the surface of Necoa's scales but the second blow connected solidly enough and, much to his amazement, he felt the blade sail cleanly through the rotten limb, cutting scale, flesh, muscle, and bone. Necoa hissed in shock and recoiled.

 _"The Slayer's sword! I thought I'd destroyed it!"_ Neal chuckled.

"I guess Pyrite must have been laying on top of it, you never saw it. Either way, you're a sitting target." Necoa growled angrily.

 _"A sitting target, am I? Well then, allow me to remedy that situation!"_ Necoa gave another enchantment, and suddenly the room was filled with the sound of snapping bones, tearing flesh, and breaking scales. Necoa howled loudly as her rib cage burst open, each bone was as thick around as tree trunk, and then, horrifyingly, they lengthened, straightened, and then Necoa's body rose up, balancing in the ribs. Noticing Neal's horror, Necoa laughed.

 _"It took some time to figure out this spell but I'm glad I got to use it. Since my heart and other organs no longer serve a purpose, what's the use of them? Besides, this spell makes me mobile so I can afford to have a gaping chest wound!"_ The ribs slowly began to move in a fashion that reminded Neal of a giant cockroach. Her broken and useless legs dangling from her sides, Necoa skittered forth on her ribs and used her tail to broadside Spyro who went flying and landed almost right on top of Neal.

Cynder roared in rage and attacked with wind and shadow but Necoa seemed unfazed by the attacks.

 _"I think I have an idea as to who I shall inhabit first._ _ **You**_ _little shadow dragon look perfect. Now, all I have to do is kill you and liberate your meddlesome soul and the body will be mine for the taking."_ Black tendrils lashed out from Necoa's body and grasped Cynder and started to strangle her. Spyro rose at that moment and, seeing Cynder, his mate, like that, he felt anger welling up inside him. Giving a roar, he charged towards Necoa, opened his maw-

-and launched a torrent of liquid fire at the dracolich.

Necoa gave a scream as the fire took hold, burning her scales and flesh and sharing her bones. Then, her ribs seemed to give out and the full weight of her body landed upon the floor. The stone floor gave a shrieking crack and gave way, Necoa falling along with it. Not stopping there though, Spyro launched himself into the air, his scales slowly taking on a darker shade of violet, and he fired a Convexity beam straight down where Necoa had fallen.

There was a muffled boom from down below as well as one piercing shriek, and then all was still.

Spyro landed at the edge of the hole, panting heavily and then he turned to see Cynder rise with a coughing fit and give him a glance that immediately calmed his anger, his scales returned to normal, and he rushed forth to embrace his mate. However, just as they released each other, they heard Lyca and Eve both scream and saw Neal collapse to his side coughing blood and trying to breathe.

Immediately, Spyro and Cynder rushed over to him and gazed around. Sparx fluttered around panicking but then gave a scream of his own as several spirits appeared. One of them was Erin who knelt to examine Neal and then his expression turned grim.

 _'He is almost out of time. He needs the cure_ _ **now**_ _!'_ The dragons looked around at one another but Spyro spoke.

"We don't want him to be enslaved to any of us, we want our friend healed." Erin nodded.

 _'I see. Still, he_ _ **will**_ _die if he doesn't get the cure soon. Would you rather have him alive and linked to you or undead and haunting these halls?'_ Spyro paused for a moment and then he felt Cynder's presense beside him.

"Spyro, no matter what happenes to Neal, we can find a way to help him. But we can't help him if he's dead. Save a life when you can, work through the consequences later." Spyro gave her a small nod and then glanced to Erin.

"How do we go about it?" Erin nodded.

 _'The dragon blood must be willingly given and willingly recieved. You have assented that you willingly give your blood yo cure your friend. Now it is up to him to willingly recieve this gift, regardless of the consequences that come with it.'_ Neal had recovered from the fit and glanced to Spyro and Cynder before returning his glance to Erin and nodding. Erin gave a small nod and redirected his gaze to Spyro and Cynder.

 _'Only a few drops are needed. Now then, who will the cure come from?"_ Spyro glanced to Cynder who nodded and Spyro nodded to Erin.

"We both will cure him." Erin nodded.

 _'Then, with a claw, piece your scales to draw the blood, and let the drops fall into this vial.'_ Erin produced a remarkably intact glass vial and Spyro and Cynder did as instructed, their blood dripping into the vial and mixing together. Erin muttered something under his breath and then tipped the vial into Neal's mouth.

The blood flowed remarkably easily into his mouth and as if on reflex he swallowed. For a few moments, everyone held their breath until finally Neal's breath steadied and he fell into a deep sleep. Then, just as the group started to breathe easier, a bright light erupted from Neal's body and Spyro and Cynder vaguely heard Erin yelling in some unknown language and heard Eve through the commotion.

 _"What in the Ancestor's names is happening?!"_

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Okay everyone, so... Yay! Necoa is defeated! But... what has happened to Neal? To be honest, I'm still juggling ideas about but I'll have the next chapter up soon. Hopefully sometime around Thanksgiving. Anyway, next chapter the group says good bye to the Necropolis and they are on their way to Blue Waters!

Whew. Started this arc for Halloween and it takes until almost Thanksgiving for it to be complete. Oh well, I still got it done, now then, I'm going back to watch some videos of some of the random things that happen in Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 1.

I swear, you can't make some of these things up!

(Though some of it most likely is modders and hackers but hey, it's funny as heck...)


	35. Dreams and Departure

Hey everyone, I hope you all are enjoying the story. You know something, I checked the stats of Forge Summoner and, to my amazement, I have almost double the faves and follows than any of my other stories! I'm speechless!

Anyway, you know how earlier this week in America was National 'Clean Out The Fridge' Day. Well, I never really did it but for some reason I felt an urge to clean and started with the fridge and tucked away in the back I came across something I honestly never thought I'd see again.

It wasn't any good (having been tucked away for several years) but the memory of it made me start laughing.

The item in question: a bottle of my cousin Ivey's "Poison Ivey" Florida Hotsauce!

Now then, ya'll are wondering, 'Who's Cousin Ivey?' Well, he was, of course, a cousin of mine. He was the oldest son of my Aunt Doodle and was a Vietnam Veteran. He was overseas and was wounded by a booby trap and came home. Anyway, the man had, for lack of a better expression, a cast iron stomach.

The man literally could stomach anything spicy. One of his favorite snacks was minced ghost peppers, habaneros, jalapenos, and chili peppers and that was it. He would mince the peppers, put them in a ceramic cup, stir with a spoon (nine times out of ten I swear the damn spoon dissolved!) And he would sit on the porch and eat it.

He made not only his own hot sauce but even his own ice cream, homemade vanilla with habanero slices called 'Fire and Ice'. One time when I was young, I went to visit my relatives (this was back when I was in High School and my Aunt Doodle was alive) in Florida and my Grandma brought the ingredients to make a big pot of genuine Louisiana gumbo (which everyone loved).

Well, Cousin Ivey got him a bowl and tried it, motioned me over, and told me that the gumbo had no flavor to it and to grab a red bottle with a black label for him. I grabbed the bottle, he mixed some of the contents into the bowl, stirred it around, (grabbed another spoon), took a bite and smiled. He then told me to try it and well, I did.

And not five seconds later I was running for the pond in front of the house, fully committed to putting out the fire in my mouth, Lulu be damned. (Lulu was the name given to the 4-foot gator that had taken up residence in the pond. None of my kin minded her as she kept pests away.)

Well, Ivey apologized to me and in return gave me a bottle of the hot sauce he had added to the gumbo. I never opened it, just stuck it in the back of the fridge and forgot about it.

Until now.

Anyway, enough with my funny stories, on with the chapter!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS. CYRUS IS OWNED BY DEATHRULER862. (THX FOR LETTING ME USE HIM!)

Chapter 32: Dreams and Departure

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Slowly, the clouds that hung low over the Necropolis dispersed, bathing the haunted city in complete sunlight for the first time in centuries. With Necoa's wicked influence gone, the city had seemed to take back some of its lost luster. Though the true beauty of the city would likely never be seen again, just glimpsing the sight before him was enough to make Spyro's heart warm. To make matters even better, he gazed to his right and smiled at Cynder as she lay her head against him and fell into a light doze.

The group had realized, after Necoa had fallen and Neal fell unconscious after being cured, of how tired they suddenly were. Nothing at the moment sounded better to Spyro than perhaps going to his cabin on the _Guardian_ , curling up in the bed and going to sleep but for the moment he was content just to have Cynder by his side.

Still though, watching the sun rise over the mountain behind the ruined city, Spyro wondered where things would go from there. His thoughts drifted to Neal and he remembered the flash of light that had momentarily blinded everyone and then what had happened next was almost indescribable. He still wondered how it was possible.

Neal had been belowdecks with Lyca and Eve watching over him while he slept and recovered. According to the spirit priest, Erin, those recovering from the plague oftentimes took to bedrest to recover from the sickness as a way to recover lost energy. Only time would tell though if Neal had somehow been bound to Spyro and Cynder in some way, shape, or form. He felt Cynder stir beside him and took it as a que to try and wake her up the rest of the way and then coax her back to her room.

Saying nothing, Cynder groggily woke, gave Spyro a small lick to the side of his muzzle and allowed Spyro to guide her to the cabin but as she fell asleep, exhaustion overtook Spyro and he fell asleep right there beside Cynder.

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Spyro suddenly heard Cynder's voice calling out to him and he awoke, expecting dannger, but instead was greeted with laughter. He gazed around and was struck speechless by what he saw. There, under a large tree, lay Cynder, her belly swollen with what could only be an egg. Then, he turned his attention to the hill and saw a young dragon playfully flitting about playing with another child.

The little dragon looked to be about six, maybe seven years old. He had a solid blue body with deep green scales along his belly. His wing membranes and the spines along his back were also a deep green. Most striking however, was the child's eyes. A deep, almost sapphire, blue and they shined with unrestrained confidence and determination.

The other child, Spyro couldn't see clearly, but it was obviously a wolf or some sort of wolf hybrid. Spyro then rose, walked over to his gravid mate, lay down beside her, nuzzled her and then she lifted her head to the dragonling on the hill.

"Cyrus! It's time to go home!"

The little dragon stopped playing, gave a small nod, bid farewell to the other child and trotted down the hill to squeeze in between Spyro and Cynder. He then looked between the two of them and gave a smile that showed unrestrained happiness.

"Mom, Dad, have you decided on a name yet for my little brother or sister yet? Manah says that Uncle Neal and Aunt Lyca are already considering names for her younger brother or sister. They're settling on Daniel for a boy or Evie for a girl. What do you think?" Spyro shared a glance with Cynder who gave a small smile and nodded.

"Your Dad and I have also been thinking about this... how about... Cyrus?" The little dragon broke into a fit of laughter and nuzzled his Mother lovingly, eyes glowing with humor.

"That's _my_ name Momma! You can't have two Cyrus's!" Spyro nodded, a bemused expression creasing his muzzle.

"He's right Cyn. Something else then... How about Nova for a boy-" Cynder's breath caught and Spyro smiled, he _knew_ she would react to having their second child named after her late Father.

"Anyway, how about Nova for a boy and Athena for a girl? From what I've heard Athena is the name of wisdom or something like that." Cynder gave him a look.

"You've been listening in on Neal as he teaches the young ones about human cultures again, haven't you?" Spyro nodded sheepishly.

"What can I say, it's an interesting subject. Besides, he always manages to make the lesson so much interesting for the students they can't help but stay awake, even those that had just come from one of Cyril's lectures." This produced a resonant chuckle from Cynder.

"Still though, maybe not Athena... if I recall correctly Neal said something about her being a huge headache for Zeus so... maybe..." Cynder chuckled and snuggled closer to him, the warmth from her moving to him and he felt his paw move absently to rub over Cynder's belly and she hummed with satisfaction.

"Maybe it would be best to wait until the egg is laid before we go to naming? Besides, it shouldn't be too much longer." Spyro nodded and lowered his head to go back to dozing and sighed.

"No, it won't be much longer at all..."

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 _(not far from Spyro and Cynder)_

Neal became awake almost at once. The first thing he was aware of was an ache in almost every single one of his joints. The second thing he was aware of was the sensation of the bedsheets against his bare skin.

The third was that laying next to him was something warm and furry.

He opened his eyes and refrained from moving but was shocked to see Lyca laying beside him in blissful slumber. As he started to move however, Lyca awoke and gazed into his eyes, a sense of obvious relief flooding through them. Still, Neal managed to get his brain our of first-gear and gave a small smile.

"Morning." Lyca returned the smile and nodded.

"Morning to you as well. I hope you don't mind but, I had to undress you to examine your wounds. Nothing major just a series of cuts and scrapes and some bruises." Neal nodded but glanced to her.

"I remember... I was given the cure for the plague, we faced Necoa, but then... nothing..." Lyca nodded.

"The dragon blood both Spyro and Cynder gave you cured you of the plague but... it also did something else..." Neal gave her a curious look and then turned his head to look at a mirror and nearly shot out of the bed in shock.

He was still human, that much was obvious but his hair had gone stark white and furthermore he felt, stronger. He rose from the bed, heedless of his nakedness and then paused by the mirror. He then heard something happening on the deck but then realized that he was in his room in the aft castle. There was no way he should have heard casual conversation on the deck in here. An arguement or a dice game possibly but not simply talking. Next was the smell, down in the galley he could smell venison stew and some rather choice ingredients and meats being cooked.

He turned back to Lyca who had also rose and hastily averted her eyes as she too was bare. He heard her chuckle and saw her come up to him.

"It was rather cold out and after I had examined you for injuries, I decided the best course was to lay down beside you and use my fur to keep you warm." Neal nodded at the sentiment but couldn't hide the blush appearing on his face. Still Lyca continued.

"Neal, I... I have something I need to ask you... You already know that dragons have heat cycles, right?" Neal nodded then flushed beet red at her meaning.

"Are you telling me that _you're_ -" Lyca quickly shook her head.

"No, if _that_ were the case I'd be having to beat half the crew back with a belaying pin and put the tails of the other half of the crew in slings. It's just that... Seeing you get plucked off the deck by Pyrite, learning that you had contracted the plague, seeing you cured and then change like this, I had worried... I had worried that when you awoke you wouldn't be the same person I fell in love with, the same male I wanted to be my mate..." Neal gave a smile in understanding, overcame his earlier embarrassment and grasped her in a hug and held her close, suddenly enjoying the intimacy of their contact.

"I'm still the same man Lyca, that's never going to change. I still love you." Lyca returned the embrace and pushed herself more snugly against him, her tail wagging back and forth seemingly of its own accord. Then, she gazed at him, met his eyes, and pulled him into a kiss.

This wasn't like the peck they had shared when flying or even the kiss they had shared in Warfang. This one was more passionate, more intimate. A moment later they broke the kiss, both he and Lyca panting.

"That... was... incredible..." Lyca nodded, still breathless. Neal then rubbed his hands along her fur, marveling at how soft it felt and Lyca smiled and pulled him into another embrace.

"You know? I think I can get used to these changes. For the first time I feel as if my sense are on overdrive. I can hear things I couldn't hear before, smell subtle scents I had no idea were there, and touch... I'm starting to notice the individual feeling of your fur. It's soft yet incredibly strong." Lyca hummed and nodded, then released the embrace and walked back to the bed and glanced at Neal, desire written all over her face.

"Neal... I'm not in heat but... my instincts... they are all but screaming at me to claim you as my mate... and for you to claim me as yours..." Neal glanced to her.

"You're not in any pain are you?" Lyca shook her head.

"No. But... that's just it, my fur almost feels like it's standing on end. I just..." Neal walked over to her and grasped her hands.

"You want this? You're sure?" Lyca nodded.

"I want to know that you are indeed here, with me, and that you are my one true mate." Neal gave her a smile and nodded, Lyca, relieved, lay back onto the bed and Neal lowered himself beside her and kissed her long and deep.

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 _(below decks, in the galley)_

Flame and Ember together, enjoying the smells that were eafting from the kitchen on the ship, nor were they the only ones. Skylar, Terra, Growler, and Toxis were also here and eagerly awaiting lunch. It was the first time in two days they would have had a chance to sit down to a meal without having to worry about undead humans or undead dragons swooping in and attacking the ship.

At that moment, Sparx fluttered in with an embarrassed look on his face and fluttered down to the group. Flame caught sight of Sparx's expression and nudged the dragonfly who sighed.

"Well, in case you're all wondering, I just came from Neal's room and despite the change of hair color, he seems alright." Flame smiled and looked relieved.

"So he's awake then, right? I'm going up there to check on him." Sparx suddenly flew up to him shaking his head.

"No you won't. I said he's awake but that doesn't mean he isn't doing something." Terra glanced to him, a serious expression on her face.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Sparx rubbed his arm embarassingly and coughed.

"I kinda, sorta, flew in through the window when I heard noises from the room and now I wish I hadn't done it. I don't think I'll _ever_ be able to erase that from my mind." Terra suddenly put two and two together and smiled.

"Well, I guess between mates it was bound to happen sooner or later." Sparx gave the grown female an incredulous look.

"Why are you so calm about this?! Neal and _Lyca_ are up in Neal's room making enough noise to wake the dead!" Sparx suddenly realized what he had said and facepalmed himself.

"Now _that_ was horrible. Bad Sparx, bad." He then returned to the conversation with Terra.

"Now then, again, I ask, _why are you so_ _ **calm**_ _?!_ " Terra sighed in annoyance.

"What consenting adults do is none of my concern. Besides, I think both Neal and Lyca are around _my_ age so they surely don't need lecturing from me nor do they need a chatty dragonfly hovering about telling everyone within earshot about what he saw while peeping through a window." Terra sighed.

"Part of me wishes that _my_ mate was here. I could certainly use a partner to wind down with. Alas, he is a banker and had _absolutely_ no interest in coming on this little adventure." Sparx stared at her open-mouthed while Toxis and Growler chuckled to themselves and Skylar was outright laughing. The normally talkative dragonfly recovered long enough to give Terra a sharp glare and then float away indignantly.

As the lunch came out, Flame turned to Ember who seemed to take everything in stride, even chuckling along with Growler and Toxis as Terra continued her wistful thinking.

"After lunch do you want to head onto the deck with me?" Ember gave him a glance and nodded deeply, smiling at him.

"I'd like that. Now that the fog is gone, the view of the sea would be incredible." There was a chuckle near them and they turned to see Captain Gregory seated at a table and he eyed the young dragons.

"There'll be plenty o' time fer that once we're out to sea. As soon as the crew have something in their bellies and Neal can tear himself from his cabin long enough to repair the damaged engine, we are going to get underway." Flame looked disappointed but then, all of a sudden, there was a whistling noise and then a spirit appeared at the door of the hatch.

 _'Excuse me, but, is Neal available? Father Erin, Sir William and Pyrite wish to bid farewell to him.'_ Gregory looked to the spirit.

"We're still a ways out from being fit to sail." The spirit shook his head.

 _'No no, not that, you see... even since the Betrayer's death, the compulsion to remain here has grown weaker and weaker. Father Erin says that, for the first time in a long time, we may just have a chance to cross over. Some of us have already gone but most of us have remained to say farewell.'_ Flame looked to Ember and when she nodded, he shifted his gaze to Gregory.

"I'll get him. Might as well get Spyro and Cynder while I'm at it." Gregory nodded and the young fire dragon left the galley at a quick pace and headed for the aft castle.

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A few moments later, Flame had reached the door of Spyro and Cynder's room and knocked gently. A few moments later, a rather ragged looking Spyro opened the door and gave Flame a curious look before yawning.

"Something wrong Flame?" Flame shook his head.

"The spirits are leaving the city. They said they wanted to say goodbye to us and Neal before they crossed over." Spyro paused for a second and then nodded before looking behind him to Cynder who was also awake and then back to Flame.

"Alright then, let's go get Neal. I imagine he's probably as exhausted as we are, if not more so." Flame chuckled wryly.

"Not according to Sparx. Still, we should at least give him some time once we knock." Spyro gave him a curious glance as the three dragons started down the corridor to the room and once there Flame knocked and waited.

After a moment, there was a voice on the other side. It was Lyca.

"Yes, what is it?" Spyro and Cynder shared a glance and Flame chuckled.

"Is Neal awake? One of the spirits came onto the ship and said that the others wanted to bid farewell to us. Now that Necoa's gone for good they are finally able to cross over to the other side." Then Neal's voice came through.

"I'm up. I'll be right out." His voice then dropped to a whisper.

"Lyca, have you seen my pants anywhere?" Flame bit back a laugh, as did Spyro and Cynder and moments later the door opened revealing Neal and Lyca, both dressed though rather haggard looking. Neal gave the three dragons a glance and noticed their expressions and sighed.

"What's so funny? You know _you_ two are the reason I look like this, right?" Spyro and Cynder recoiled momentarily then noticed Neal's expression as he embraced both of them.

"I cannot thank either of you enough for what you did. I am alive because of the two of you. Plus, it appears that the change of hair color wasn't the only change I went through." Lyca chuckled from behind him and came forward and wrapped an arm around him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek and then gave a sidelong glance at Cynder.

"I can certainly second _that_. His hearing, sight, smell, touch, strength, agility and certainly his... _endurance_ has improved considerably."

Neal spluttered and gave an glance at Lyca who playfully stuck her tongue at him and finally Spyro and Cynder started laughing. Neal huffed and gestured to the pair of dragons and glanced to his mate with a flat expression.

"See what you've done? You've made the natives restless."

This one-liner made Spyro and Cynder laugh even harder and now even Flame joined in as Neal sighed and made an effort to appear indignant but even he couldn't stop a smile from appearing and then nodded.

"Alright, enough comedy, let's get on deck." Neal then turned and started off towards the deck. Still chuckling to themselves, Spyro, Cynder, Lyca, and Flame followed suit.

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Outside, Neal was stunned by what he saw. Lining the docks and even filling the streets of the city were the spirits of hundreds, if not thousands, of humans and even four or five dragons. Among them, the undead Pyrite also stood, resolutely awaiting whatever judgement should befall him. As Neal came down the gangway to the dock, he was met by Father Erin and Sir William who inclined their heads to him in a respectful manner.

"Father Erin, Sir William, my comrades tell me the time has finally come for you all to cross over." Erin gave a small nod.

 _'Yes. The curse is lifted, the traitor is defeated and, thanks to young Spyro's attack, her phylactery was also destroyed. She can never rise again to torment the living.'_ Neal nodded and then turned to Pyrite.

"What of Pyrite? What is his fate?" Erin shook his head.

 _'I do not know. We know now that neither he nor his knight were involved in the attacks but unlike Sir William here, Pyrite's soul was not sanctified. His fate, Neal Foster, as the last surviving human in this place, and the descendant of Archmage Gartome, lies with you.'_ Neal nodded and turned to Pyrite who still looked downcast. Neal came forward and stood before Pyrite, gave a small smile, and rested a hand on the undead dragon's snout.

"Pyrite, Defender of Grandis Fortunae, as the last human alive in this city, your fate lies with me. You failed in your duty to protect this city and its people in their time of greatest need, however, you have aquitted yourself well by standing up to Necoa, even at the cost of your life, both then, and now when you stood against her for the last time. I, Neal Foster, do hereby find you innocent of the crimes originally leveled against you and, on the behalf of all humans, forgive you. Go now, and join your brethren with the Ancestors and rest in peace."

Pyrite looked up at Neal in utter shock as he said these words. Then, from within the undead body, a solid blue light formed and grew stronger and stronger. The body of the dragon shuddered violently and Neal had just enough time to get away before the body fell flat on the dock, a vibrant blue hued soul bursting forth from the corpse with a mighty roar that did well to nearly deafen him.

Smiling, Neal gazed up at Pyrite who was now free of his undead form and smiling broadly. Furthermore, all the damage done to him had been healed, his throat now intact, he soared high into the sky, roaring and yelling as loud as he could. When he finally alighted again, he was beaming happily and bowed his head.

 _'Thank you Forger. I can finally speak again. All I needed to be free of my curse was for a human to forgive what my kind had done to the human race. Necoa... she wasn't always like that however, she was a good dragoness once. I will not shed tears for the creature she became, but I will forever mourn the beautiful spirit that she once was. Maybe if I had been more attentive to her, balanced my my duties better...'_ Neal nodded.

"Hindsight is always twenty-twenty. Looking back, we can see where we have erred and going forward we can look out for similar instances. We all have our share of mistakes. It is when we stumble and fall that we remember that we are not perfect." Pyriite nodded solumnly but then returned his gaze to the spirits behind him and sighed gustily.

 _'It is time. I shall leave this world to you, Forger, and to those who bravely stand by you. I long to rest, to sleep undisturbed.'_ Erin came forward and nodded.

 _'As do we all, Protector.'_ He turned to Neal.

 _'As for this land, as High Priest, I only ask that, given the horrors that occured here, that no civilized land try to build upon it. This land has been poisoned by bloodshed and by evil for too long to support life as we know it. Those who try shall find naught but dispair.'_ Neal nodded.

"I shall certainly spread the word, Erin." He turned to the other spirits.

"The least I can do is give you all a proper sendoff. I don't know how the people here did so, but in my world, for those who have stood against evil for so long, a salute is called for." Erin nodded, curious as to what he intended and Neal looked over his shoulder to Gregory.

"Captain Gregory! Have the gun crews man the starboard guns!" Gregory looked curiously at Neal but nodded and passed the word along. Neal then galnced along the lines of the spirits and noticed that most of them wore armor and surcoats and nodded to them.

Standing before the fallen warriors and citizens of Grandis Fortunae, Neal snapped to attention and gave a sharp salute to them just as a rolling broadside salute fired from the gundeck of the _Guardian_. The spirits, those without helms at least, smiled openly and slowly, they began to ascend towards the sky, their forms disolving into specks of blue light that winked out as they touched the clear blue sky. Pyrite and the other dragons followed, flying upwards, spiraling the cloud of spirits, roaring triumphantly until they too faded from sight. Neal lowered his salute and touched his right eye and gave a small smile at the tears he had shed.

"Rest in Peace, souls of Grandis Fortunae, human and dragon alike. For there is no enemy to the fallen, now, we stand on the verdant fields as one, once foes, now comrades, united in death." Neal turned to see the everyone behind him also weeping slightly and he gave a short nod.

"Let us leave this land in memory of the dead. As soon as I repair the engines, let us be onward to Blue Waters!"

The crew, as well as the dragons gave out cheers at that as Neal once again climbed up the gangplank and went below to the _Guardian_ 's engine room.


	36. The Three Mothers

Well everyone, I'm sitting here in tending to the election. Been sitting here for close to five hours and only two people have voted. Then again since our district is rather rural, and plus we only have one major thing on the ballot, and the fact that it's deer hunting season, I really don't expact to see more than fifteen people.

Anyway, on with the story. Got my earphones on and my playlists jamming. Let's make some magic!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 33: The Three Mothers

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The familiar rush of the sea rocked the _Guardian_ back and forth as she sailed onward. With Eve's help (and discovering another benefit of the plague cure, increased mana capacity), Neal was able to not only replace the steam lines with more solid ones but even repair the engine, improve it. The _Guardian_ was easily setting a pace at sixteen knots which kept every member of the crew from Captain Gregory on down singing the ship's praises.

"This ship could out run, out maneuver, and out fight any pirate who dares show his face near us!" Cheered a crewman for the fifteenth time that day.

The crew and to be honest everyone on the ship was in high spirits after the triumph at the Necropolis. After sending a message back to Warfang thanks to a friendly sea dragon they encountered, they ship adjusted their course and resumed their original journey to Blue Waters. Neal had been in the highest spirits of all as not only had Lyca decided to forgo her own cabin and settle into his cabin, he had also created some new aircraft for the _Guardian_ 's hangar and had even taken them up a few times to get a feel for them.

Since the hangar was large enough for three aircraft, Neal had decided to go ahead and fill out the allotment in case they were needed. First, of course, he upgraded the Airco D.H.2 to the D.H.3 variant. Having a fast scout, the next logical choice was a fighter and he chose the French Nieuport 28C. Next was a fighter bomber and Neal then turned to the German designs and for some reason the AEG seemed suitable enough since the _Guardian_ had a long enough flight deck.

He had taken the time to go through the Book, examine all sorts of ideas, blueprints, modifications, and various other types of aircraft and eventually managed to modify and improve the designs with more modern components thus bringing out the best possible potential in the aircraft. As Neal landed the AEG for the second time, he cut power to the engines and leapt from the cockpit with a pleased expression. Lyca greeted him with a kiss and he smiled.

"An even better flight than before. I have to admit I had my doubts about taking a twin-engine bomber off a deck but I managed to do one better, I managed to _land_ a twin engine bomber on a flight deck!" Lyca smiled at him and nodded.

"You certainly are in high spirits love." Neal smiled broadly.

"And why should I not? Take a look at this Lyca, I've managed to not only repair the _Guardian_ but also create two new aircraft and update them and my mana is barely dipped past the seven mark! Just a few days ago doing even half of that would have left me with little to no mana remaining! Hah, listen to me I sound as happy as a lark." Lyca nodded.

"It's good that you're happy. I rather like this side of you, but I'll tell you what, how about we go to the cabin, I have something I want to show you." Neal chuckled and gave her a side glance.

"Do you _really_ have something to show me or are you flirting?" Lyca smiled and walked past, brushing her tail alongside him and giving him a wink as she glanced back.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Neal smiled and started towards the aft castle but then a yell came from the bow and turning to see what the commotion was about, Neal was stunned to see the water around the _Guardian_ starting to turn a very bright blue that was almost flouresent. He then glanced forward towards the bow and his jaw dropped at the sight.

Stretching upwards towards the sky were three large mountains that for the most part seemed to have nothing but deep green grass covering them. A large cliff also stretched out from under the mountains but that wasn't the most astonishing part. The waterfalls flowing from the in between the mountains was glowing the same bright blue as the sea water around them and it appeared that the twin streams merged into one that then spilled out from the cliff, creating a glow that, if it had been night, would have been far better than any lighthouse and would have been a beautiful sight to see.

Neal turned, gave Lyca a deep kiss and then started for the bridge. Once he arrived, he saw Gregory going over an old sea chart with Eve and the wolf captain was grimacing.

"Fir the life o' me, I canna see a decent place to dock. I'm afraid we're gonna hafta sit this one out. Neal, maybe you can use one o' them flying machines o' yers to get over there and find a safe spot to land?" Neal nodded to him, turned and started for the hangar.

As he approached the hangar, he saw Spyro and Cynder, along with Skylar and Lyca standing by the hangar door and he nodded.

"Gregory says there's no place to dock the ship so it looks like we're going in by air. If there's a ruin on that island, chances are it's near the water and if it's anything like Grandis Fortunae... minus the undead, of course, it'll likely have a grand central causeway." The group nodded and Spyro and Cynder went about getting their armor ready as Neal and Skylar pulled the AEG out of the hangar and onto the flight deck.

As Neal climbed into the cockpit, he suddenly felt a strong pull coming from the island. Glancing back at it, he swore he imagined it, but the waters started glowing even brighter for a moment before dimming back down.

Still, he settled into the pilot's seat, checked on Skylar and Lyca who had climbed into the nose and tail gunner positions, and then pressed the starter for the linked twin engines. Thankfully, the engines started on the first go, their low growl as they spun up to speed a welcome sound. The large wooden two-bladed propellors spinning in sync and becoming a blur as they rotated faster and faster. Spyro and Cynder took off from behind him, immediately making a bee-line for the island as Neal opened the throttle and released the brakes.

The rolled down the deck smoothly and as it picked up speed, the tail slowly lifted off first and became level behind the wings. As the medium bomber reached the fan tail, Neal eased back on the stick and smiled with satisfaction as the aircraft slowly rose of its own accord into the air. As he leveled out and turned the aircraft towards the island, he looked up and caught a glimpse of Lyca, who was in the nose gunner position, smiling broadly with her hands out to her side and her face to the wind, eyes closed. He chuckled to himself at her pose and started humming _'My Heart Will Go On'_.

Glancing behind though the normally stoic Skylar was glancing about worriedly and Neal belatedly remember that this was his first time flying in a machine.

"Skylar, you nervous?" Skylar glanced to him and nodded.

"Flying dragonback is one thing, this though... it's something else. I'm both apprehensive yet excited." Neal nodded.

"I know what you mean. The first time I went up in an aircraft, I was scared out of my wits. Still, once you feel the wind rushing past you and the sense of how fast you're traveling, it kinda all melts away." Skylar nodded and seemed to calm down somewhat as the plane flew on. Then Neal lightly pulled back on the stick and the plane rose to climb over the cliffs.

The made it over the cliff with a good three dozen feet to spare and the sight that Neal now saw was incredible.

The island was shaped like a massive bowl, the three mountains ringed one side and the rest of the island was built on an elevated cliff that sloped downward. The entire bowl was filled with lush green vegetation, trees, grass, plains, all leading into the center where, to Neal's surprise, was a city. The outer buildings of the city were shorter than those leading into the core which stretched taller yet still gave the appearance that all the buildings were the same size. Then, most impressively, at the center of the city was a large white marble tower that rose forth from the city center, stretching high into the sky before terminating just below the horizon line of the cliff. Then, to his elatement, he spotted something oddly familiar.

There, stretching along the outside of the city, was a massive straight stretch of road, seemingly carved from a single massive piece of stone. Nearby, Spyro and Cynder were flying around the city as Neal approached and passed over the city. Still though, something was off...

...unlike Grandis Fortunae which was a ruin in all sense of the word, Blue Waters seemed remarkably intact. It was as if the dragons had never so much as attacked the city. Still though, more strange, there were intact wagons, and even fresh trails through the grass-

Neal paled and looked for Spyro and Cynder and saw them still flying, diving and climbing as they examined their surroundings and the buildings in the city. He then looked forward to Lyca.

"Lyca! Fire a warning shot! That city is not abandoned!" Lyca paled and glanced around the bomber but then did as Neal had asked and fired a three rounds into the air. Spyro and Cynder glanced over to the aircraft and saw Neal waving towards the platform urgently.

Then, a bolt of blue fired arced up from the city, striking the right engine of the bomber. Neal felt the engine give out and sieze and heard the strain of the left engine trying to compensate. He glanced at Lyca and Skylar who both gave him worried glances and he frowned.

"I'm going to try and land on that stretch of stone. Prepare for crash landing!"

Lyca watched as her mate struggled valiantly with the sluggish controls, trying to keep the aircraft level. She also saw the fear in his eyes and saw something else she didn't recognize.

As another and then another arc of fire flew up, Neal managed to evade and dodge them and Spyro and Cynder used their powers to ward off any that would have been a direct hit. Neal glanced ahead and saw the stone road coming into view and grimaced.

This was going to be rough.

The hit the stone road _hard_. The landing gear collapsed under the strain of the impact. The undercarriage sliding along the ground as the other propellor snapped in half. Thankfully, the aircraft didn't catch fire but Neal was in a haze, he glanced forward at Lyca and Skylar and nodded.

"Everybody out! Get away from the plane!" Skylar and Lyca managed to climb free of the wreck but as Neal pulled, he felt pain in his leg. Glancing down, he saw that his foot had gotten caught and pinned by debris. He uttered a strong curse and then heard something he wish he hadn't.

The sound of a damaged, over-revving engine catching fire.

The bomber was now burning and Neal was pinned in the cockpit unable to escape. Thankfull Cynder was there to see he was in trouble and leapt to the plane and started tearing at the fuselage. Spyro on the other hand was trying deperately to put the fire out by dropping dirt onto the engine. However, he seemed to realize that this wasn't enough and then, summoning all his possible strength, he opened his maw-

-and shot out a cone of liquid frost that struck the engine dead on, the ice flashing into steam at first but then overpowering the flames and smothering them out. Just then, a metallic _pop_ came from the plane and Cynder managed to pull Neal free from the plane and away to safety where Lyca immediately descended upon him checking him for any injuries. Neal smiled and gave Cynder and Spyro a wry glance.

"You guys keep saving my life and people are bound to start talking." Spyro and Cynder chuckled at the weak humor but then their muzzles creased into snarls and Neal managed to get on his feet just in time to nearly fall flat on his ass at a sight that stunned him.

Humans. Row upon row of humans, some in armor, some in robes, most in simple clothing but all armed with a variety of weapons including, Neal was stunned to see, primative crossbows. All eyed him with a mixture of shock, curiousity, and distrust but didn't outwardly try to attack.

Slowly, Neal stepped forward, hands raised. He must have guessed he looked so different to them, so foreign. The humans here were much live the ones back in his world. They had multiple skin tones ranging from white to black and even some red and tan. As he stopped, one of the humans in the group wearing robes heavily embroidered in gold leaf came forward. He was dark toned as if from many years in the sun, his head was shaved bald, and he wore a circlet of steel around his head. In his right hand, he carried a staff topped with a medium-sized gold crystal.

The man looked him over, his brown eyes seemingly boring holes into him as he scrutinized every single detail. Then, he glanced at Neal's belt and noticed the sidearm and combat knife and then gazed at the others.

Lyca had drawn closer to Neal, placing a protective arm around him and Skylar had also slightly drawn closer but refrained from contact. Spyro and Cynder remained seperate but maintained a sense of hightened awareness.

Then, the man gave a nod and then motioned to Neal with his left hand.

"I apologize for the destruction of your flying machine. When we heard the noise, we had thought we were under attack and readied to defend ourselves." Neal nodded his understanding.

"I understand. To be honest, it was as much a surprise for me as well. Ever since I came here all I've heard is how humans were extinct and that how I was the last. I... I had thought..." The man nodded understandingly.

"It is good to hear that there are others outside of the Three Mothers who still live. I am Alquer, Archmage of the Azure Academy." Neal nodded.

"I am Neal Foster." Alquer nodded and then noticed his crystal and smiled.

"You have a trace of magic about you. My crystal, it reacts to those of magical potential. Tell me, have you cast any spells?" Neal nodded.

"That's why I came here. I followed some ancient texts that said I could find a focus here." Alquer nodded.

"Furthermore, there is something... unusual about you... You may be open with us here. We who live here have long ago forgiven the treachery of the dragons." Neal nodded.

"I am... I am a descendant of Archmage Gartome, and I am also a Forger." Alquer froze for a moment and then smiled broadly.

"So, the ancient legends were truth after all... a human child given to the dragons to safeguard one of their most special powers. Our texts speak highly of Gartome, how he was an incredible wizard of immense power and also a man of truly unshakable moral character. Now then, your friends, who are they?" Neal motioned to them.

"This is Skylar, he was the first companion I had come along with me after I came to this land. The dragons there are Spyro and Cynder. And this is Lyca, my mate." Alquer went wide-eyed for a moment but quickly hid his surprise.

"Of course. It is an honor to meet all of you. Now that introductions are out of the way, please, come to the tower and rest. The day already draws to an end and the island is not safe to wander at night." Neal glanced to him curiously.

"Why? Is there something here?" Alquer nodded slowly.

"Yes. Despite what you see, there are actually _two_ tribes of humans living on this island. We are the descendants of those who originally lived on this island. The other tribe is the descendants of those who took shelter here when the dragons started burning our cities in the ancient days. They disagreed with Archmage Gartome's thoughts of remaining silent and secluded and wanted us to use our abilities for revenge. They never cared that the war had ended, they wanted to kill dragons. Your companions especially need to take care." Neal sighed and nodded.

"Things are never easy are they? I thought I'd come here, magically find a focus crystal, then be able to sail off to Dante's Freezer and rescue my children from Axian." Alquer gazed at Neal and sighed.

"You have my sympathies. Tell me, what are their names?" Neal nodded.

"Domino and Rivet. They are orphan dragons I adopted shortly after arriving here. Apparently though, they also have another brother, Frost, who is being held prisoner as well." Alquer nodded.

"Your quest is urgent then. I suggest we speak to the High Council in the morning and see about getting you special access to the Crystal Caverns." Neal nodded his thanks and the group of humans disbanded leaving Neal and the group to follow Alquer and a few other robed figures down towards the tower. As they entered the city Spyro came alongside Neal, concerned and whispered to him.

"Can we trust them?" Neal shrugged.

"I don't know Spyro. We aren't going anywhere for the moment though so for now, let's just be on our best behavior and don't cause them any problems. Besides, I'm interested in meeting this council and plus despite everything to the contrary, I _do_ need a focus if I'm to face Axian." Spyro nodded and sighed.

"Just remember, we're here for you." Neal returned the nod and smiled.

"I know, and for that I thank you."


	37. Lean On Me

Hey everyone, I hope y'all had a Happy Thanksgiving and now Christmas is right around the corner. I haven't made up my mind yet if I'll do a Christmas-themed chapter yet but I'm still keeping my options open. Okay, for this chapter, I'm going to shift the focus back to Danny since, and this is kinda embarrassing to admit but I was rushing Neal's chapters along so fast I wound up making an impression in the proverbial brick wall and everything ground to a halt.

Don't worry, I'll get everything back on track just as soon as I can peel what's left of my pride off the wall and figure out just what the hell I'm going to do next.

...

...

Blast it. You know? I like it when hunting season rolls around. I'm not much of an outdoorsman myself but that don't mean I dislike taking a little nature walk every now and then. There's only one thing I hate about hunting season and that's dog season when all these hunters bring dogs into the woods, turn them loose to scare up some deer or hogs and then just leave them in the woods afterwards. I've done had over twelve dogs show up at my house and despite the number of times I've called the owners on the collars no one has picked them up. And I can't call the animal control cause well, they don't operate outside Natchitoches limits.

Thankfully some seem to move on through but I still have roughly three strays around here.

Oh well, on to the disclaimer!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 34: Lean On Me

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"Thirty-six... Thirty-seven... Thirty-eight... Thirty-nine... _Fourty!_ " Danny counted aloud as he worked on the pull up bar he had created so that he could get his physical strength back up to par. It had only been a week and a few short days but he was already showing marked improvement. He was no longer winded by the slightest exertion, he was gaining more confidance, he was even at the point where a few wolf visitors to Greymarsh had offered to spar with him in unarmed combat. He had even had the chance to clean himself up. His sand blonde hair was now cropped short and his beard and mustache was trimmed short.

Plus, he had already showed improvement in his magical skills as the as yet still incomplete ship hull eight miles outside the village on the beach testified. So far Danny had created the keel and the ribs of the ship but after hearing what had happened with Neal plus the revelation about Eve, he had put things on hold to strengthen himself. To say the discovery of what the Book actually was stunned everyone was an understatement to say the least.

While Eve wasn't able to manifest her actual form (an ability she said that only the original Book possessed) what happened around her was still interesting. First, a procession of venom dragon elders had filed past the room asking questions to various parts of lost dragon lore and Eve answered their questions to the best of her abilities. Second, Darte had come in and, to Danny's surprise, had acted all possessive and protective of him when Eve mentioned that she had once been a dragoness. Then Bianca had rushed Darte out of the room and then proceeded to question Eve about the sealed sections of the Book and how Neal was able to unlock the section on human magic.

Nevertheless, his presence still created a stir among the dragons of Greymarsh whenever he was out and about or in training. More so when he was training as the training area for the city was outdoors and almost right in the middle of the town so that anyone passing by could see who was training and who was simply watching. He gave a glance around the area as he switched positions for a series of hanging situps and noticed a dozen or so dragons, plus some visitors, and even noticed Darte standing slightly to the side of the other dragons watching him with an openly possessive look.

In fact, he thought it sort of cute whenever she growled at one of the other female dragons who either muttered something about him or gazed at him with some other form of expression other than interest or curiousity.

One thing he liked about the venom dragons. They were blunt when they spoke. Venomia naturally had to be more politically minded but as for the rest of them they were blunt, open, and to the point.

Danny had just finished his first dozen of the hanging situps when Eve's Book materialized before him and eagerly started scribbling in a more excited manner than normal.

 _'Humans! The settlement of Blue Waters is_ _ **still**_ _inhabited by humans!'_

The news startled Danny so much that his legs lost their grip on the bar and he fell landing on his back. Thankfully though a thick cushion of some sort of fungus caught him and he righted himself and stared at the Book aghast.

"Truly? How many are there?" The quill started again.

 _'No idea, but it's enough people that easily occupy every intact building in the city. Neal and the others are being housed in a building close to the Great Tower in the center and are awaiting to speak with the village elders soon about him finding a focus crystal for his magic.'_ Danny nodded and then glanced over to Darte who had approached when saw Eve's Book appear.

"Danny? What is it?" Danny turned to her with a smile.

"My brother, he found the city of Blue Waters and turns out it's inhabited! By humans! My brother and I aren't the last!" Darte smiled and nodded.

"That's wonderful news. So, what are you planning?" Danny glanced in the direction of the incomplete ship he had been working on and then returned his gaze to Darte.

"I'm going to need your help to assemble what help we can so that when Neal decides to head on to Dante's Freezer we'll be right there to back him up." Darte thought for a moment but then nodded.

"Straight forward enough plan. I guess I'll let Mother know of this development and see if Ash wants to send anyone with us or if he'll be coming himself. At that moment Bianca appeared and shook her head.

"It won't do any good, Venomia and Ash have left for Warfang." Darte sighed but then nodded.

"I suppose she finally decided to accept the offer to reintigrate into dragon society. Still though, I have a feeling she has a list of conditions with her." Goro arrived and chuckled.

"That would explain the young dragon trailing behind them and loaded down with boxes. They're probably full of scrolls." Darte nodded to the ape wizard.

"Mother does love her scrolls. Me, I can never get the hang of it, dipping my claw into ink and then writing with it. Either my claw goes too deep into the ink and stains my paw or I push too hard and punch a hole through the paper." Goro nodded and then turned to Danny.

"It seems we have a plan then? Good. You can continue your training while asea and plus, heading for Dante's Freezer is, well, fortuitous." Darte glanced to the old ape curiously.

"How so?" Goro smiled.

"My grandson- What are you looking at me like that for? Yes. I'm old, I have grandkids, I spoil them rotten when I get the chance. It's a grandfatherly obligation to spoil your grandkids. I like to think I'm getting my wayward son back for all the grief he caused me growing up. Anyway, back on topic, my eldest grandson, Ivahn, is the leader of a small village on an island just off of the Freezer. Thankfully they are not making themselves obvious or Axian would have iced the place over a long time ago." He turned to Danny.

"If ever there was a place to begin building an ape resistance against Malefor and his minions, it's there. Ivahn was the one grandchild who, unlike his siblings and his father, clung to my every word and became a mage, however, do not discount his abilities in combat. Many have done so, and none have survived." Danny nodded.

"So he's a battlemage then? Or a spellsword?" Goro turned to him.

"I do not follow... What do you mean?" He then frowned.

"They aren't insults are they?" Danny quickly shook his head.

"No, they're not. In human, that is, in my world's mythology, humans who wielded spells and steel were called battlemages, spellswords, or arcane knights. In the stories I've read, only the strongest of warriors can learn magic and only the most athletic of mages can learn to wield swords. It's a very prestigious title." Danny refrained from mentioning that they were classes of warrior in the Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age games. Still, if his grandson was like Goro then there was no doubt he was strong. Danny gave a nod to them and then sighed.

"Alright then, I guess the first thing to do is finish the ship I was working on and then I suppose Eve can mechanize it. That just leaves sailing it to Blue Waters and then to Dante's Freezer." At that moment, the quill in Eve's Book started tapping and then writing when she had gotten their attention.

 _'You can mechanize the ship just as your brother did. However, the spell may need to be a 'little bit' more complex since it's just the four of you. However, since I know the route to Blue Waters, I may be able to assist in more than the usual method.'_ Darte looked to the Book curiously.

"How so?"

 _'Simple. I control not only the engines but the steering as well. Plus, since you are creating a more 'modern' ship than Neal chose, I can also control some of the weapons. I just can't reload, aim, or fire them.'_ Danny sighed.

"So you could turn the turrets but we'd still need a crew to fire them... Something tells me to avoid hostile ships until we get a proper crew." Goro nodded.

"I believe that is the most prudent thing you've said yet. In any case, I concur, no point in tiring ourselves fighting needless battles when our comrades need us." Danny glanced to the ape mage and then gazed around to Darte and Bianca.

"Eve, I believe I have the basis for the ship. Can I finish creating it today?" The quill started.

 _'Unfortunately no. You will need help to finish it, much like Neal did. Though, unlike him, you won't need as much help. Going by pure guesswork, I would say that Goro and Darte have enough mana to finish the ship. You just need to get it off the blocks and into the water.'_ Danny nodded.

"Sounds easy enough. Darte, do you and Bianca wish to join me? I know that Goro's going along but I just figured I'd ask." Darte gave him a flat look and scowled.

"After everything that's happened? There's no way I'm staying _here_. Sure, it's home but if I have to go out in the woods one more time to gather herbs because Mother either keeps stealing them or Ash keeps destroying them, I'm going to go crazy. I had _no_ idea my Mother was so... so..." Danny chuckled.

"Persistant? Invasive? Grandchild crazy?" Darte glanced to him and nodded.

"That and more so. Still, I suppose it's my own fault for seemingly going all possesive every time you're around. How can anyone look at me and _not_ think I'm interested in you?" Danny put on a hurt expression.

"You mean you're not?" Darte coughed and blushed and looked away and sighed.

"Perhaps a little bit. Still though, I want to get to know you better before anything happens between us. For now, just friends." Danny nodded.

"Right. Well then, let's get out gear together and head to the ship. Once that's done and we're underway it's nonstop to Blue Waters and beyond."

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(meanwhile, on the forest route to Warfang)

Ash couldn't help but glance to Venomia and for the almost millionth time wondering why she was smiling so. Ever since they had left the village she had been quiet with the exception of that smile on her muzzle. He had thought of bringing it up before now but didn't want to do it in front of poor Hemose who was being forced to carry all those Ancestors-damned scrolls that Venomia liked to write. Now that the young aide was behind them a bit, Ash took the chance and leaned closer to his mate.

"You seem pleased with something. May I enquire, my dear, what has got you in such a chipper mood?" Venomia gave him a glance then, reaching into one of her own bags, produced a small bundle of herbs that Ash immediately recognized and coughed.

"Aren't those-?!" Venomia stuck her tongue out at him and gave a short nod.

"These are the last herbs in the local areas of the village. I made sure to hold off on swiping these until the growing and flowering season of the herbs had ended and they started to wither and lose their effectiveness. Darte will have no choice but to either give into her instincts or lock herself some place that she can't get out and wait for the cycle to end." Venomia sighed.

"I still haven't told her... I just... I want to know that my daughter's future is secured before I allow my strength to wane and this damnable disease to take me." Ash grew concerned and glanced over her.

"Have you been feeling any better? Or has it gotten worse?" Venomia shook her head.

"It's good some days but bad most of the time. Ironic, really. A venom dragoness of my power and experience made next to useless by a disease that mainly affects hatchlings. I can barely call upon my power anymore. The least I can do is ensure that when the last of my strength fails me and I'm gone that Darte will not only have allies among the other dragons but a reliable mate as well." Ash nodded.

"I've seen how the human, the Forger, looks at her when she goes protective. He's intrigued by her, I might even go so far as saying he's smitten with her. They just, haven't admitted to one another that they find each other interesting or their company pleasing." Venomia nodded.

"It might be rather, pardon the pun, _draconian_ , of me to force her into this but she is my eldest daughter and the only one with the skills needed to become a worthy leader in my place. Her brothers and sisters are all too obsessed with exploring and starting their own villages and families to care about our species as a whole, but Darte does. I hate myself for putting her into this position but at the time I thought I would have had longer." Ash nodded.

"How much time did old Neuros give you?" The venom Matriarch heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Most likely, I am going to my grave. Warfang will be a one-way trip for me. I shall not return to Greymarsh." Ash gave a small resigned nod and glowered.

"I must be cursed, something I did growing up or during the war. You're my second mate to die." Venomia nodded.

"I know, but, don't you still have her son?" Ash scowled angrily and his brows furrowed.

"Flame is _not_ my son. Those were the last words she spoke to me, a confession of her own weakness, and a truth that my brother probably thought I shouldn't know." Venomia gave him a wayward smile.

"You still love him like he is your own though, right?" Ash coughed and glanced down to the ground and Venomia's smile turned into a smirk as she nudged him with her hips and wrapped her tail around his.

"Thought so. You may deny it sometimes, my love, but underneath it all; the scars, the scales, the fire, you still have a heart capable of love." Ash gave a sigh and nodded.

"I suppose so. Still, what if Darte decides to go with the Forger on his quest?" Venomia chuckled.

"Ash, I anticipated she would. Despite where they are going, I think a cruise on the ocean is just the most romantic idea. I have no doubt the experiences they share will bring the two of them will grow even closer together." Ash nodded and then chuckled.

"Alright then, besides, I haven't actually gotten the 'over protective of daddy's little girl' sneer down quite yet. The human already has my approval, I just don't want him to know it yet." Venomia laughed at that and then smiled.

"Makes me wish I had more time. I'd give anything and everything just to see what kind of children will grow from their pairing." Ash then frowned.

"There's still a chance that she might go her own way and decide on another mate." Venomia dismissed this with a shake of her head.

"She won't. I haven't told anyone this but, I had... I... well I guess you would call it a vision last night. I saw Darte, and the human, standing at the edge of the village and, just beyond the gate, a group of five dragons, no longer than one of the human's arms, fluttering about playing with each other. Best of all, Darte... she was smiling." Ash felt a tear coming to his eyes and then glanced back to Venomia as well.

"I wish that I could have seen it." Venomia nodded.

"Oh but you will, my mate. The human, Danny, may take your place as Champion, but rest assured you will still protect the village, and our daughter. Ash, promise me you will?" Ash glanced to his mate and nodded.

"I shall protect them with my life." Venomia nodded and with a sigh sunk against Ash as they kept going forward, their pace slow enough now that Hemose could catch up to them easily.

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(back at Greymarsh)

Danny watched as his completed work bobbed gently in the cove that led out to sea. He had always thought of himself more a pilot than a sea captain but now to see something that _he_ had created, along with help from Darte and Goro who were, likewise, watching the ship before them in awe, he felt joy and eager anticipation.

The ship was a more modern version of warship than Neal had created. As he only had one dragon, Darte, going with him, there was no need for a large ship. Instead, he had settled on the design of a Torpedo Boat Destroyer (TBD).

The ship, listed in the Book as the _USS Bainbridge_ , was the prequel to the legendary Clemson-class 'four-stacker' destroyers. The original design had also had four smokestacks but this had been altered so that a 'flying bridge' forming a runway for a single aircraft could be added. Instead, the ship had a single stack that was fitted to the runway which covered three quarters of the ship. Other changes included the room where Eve's Book would be placed so that the ship could be mechanized, the conversion of the aft bridge into the living quarters, the expansion of the forward turret (Turret A) to house not one, but _two_ five inch guns, plus the creation of 'blisters' or 'barbettes' along the side to house the torpedo tubes.

Since the ship was steam powered, Bianca managed to work a little of her own magic and, to Danny's amazement, she animated a series of shovels, pokers, chains, and even a few pairs of gloves so that these objects could do the work of an engine crew. Once Goro saw this he nodded and smiled.

"I think we might not have to worry about a crew until we reach Dante's Freezer. Once I recover, I can use a similar spell to animate a few items to be able to control the weapons." Danny nodded to that and then turned around to look for Darte but she had gone.

Glancing to Bianca, the rabbit mage sighed and pointed to the ship and Danny went aboard thinking that she had simply wanted to explore the ship but then thinking of Bianca's sigh, he started to worry.

As he descended into the hold, he heard a muffled growling noise coming from the forward compartment where their supplies had been stored. Danny approached the hatch slowly, lofted the locking bar and opened it to find Darte casting fearful glances this way and that. Scattered around her were multiple herbs that seemed familiar to Danny yet, unlike those, which had been a vibrant green, these were dry and brown.

As he cleared his throat, Darte turned to face him, her expression one of horror and pain.

"Get out! Danny, please, lock me in here!" Danny glanced at her as if she were mad.

"Whatever for?" Darte angrily stomped on one of the dried herbs and to Danny's amazement it disintigrated into dust with a 'poof' and Darte hung her head.

"She did it _again_! Mother... she stole the herbs... These... these are all that's left and they aren't holding it back! The season for collecting them is over and these few that remain don't have any effect on me whatsoever! Danny, please, unless you get out of here and lock me in here, my instincts are going to take over. I... I don't want that... I don't want anything to come between us..."

She gave him a glance and Danny could tell she was holding back tears. It was obvious she was in pain but she also didn't want to hurt him. Slowly, an innocent idea came to his mind and he smiled, closing with Darte and embracing her around her neck.

"I'm not locking you in here, Darte. You're strong, you can fight it, I know you can. To lock you in here, I'd have to be a cold, heartless bastard, which I'm not. I'm going to stay right here with you until you can get control back. If anything happens, it'll be alright. Cross each bridge when you get to it, never regret." Darte lay down on the floor of the compartment and Danny took a seat next to her and slowly started rubbing her scales. She managed to glance to him and gave a small smile.

"Just like last time, I feel the urge receeding... Stay with me, just like this? I can't explain it, but your scent... I find it... comforting..." Danny nodded to her and lay down as well, not objecting when she folded a wing over him and wrapped her forelegs around him. He returned the hug around her neck and smiled as Darte stuck her head under her wing and playfully nuzzled him. He smiled and nodded.

"I'll stay with you, just like this, for however long you need me to do so. I never leave a hurting friend alone and I'm not about to leave you now. Just lean on me, and I'll never let you fall."

As the two lay together, they were unaware of Bianca standing in the door and smiling to herself before walking away. She reached her cabin and entered and then gazed out the porthole wistfully.

"She found her true mate, her soul mate. I wonder... is mine still out there, somewhere?"


	38. Forging Relations

Okay everyone, back to Neal, sorry for the whiplash like that but I wanted to get the ball rolling for an idea I was pulling together and it required Danny getting underway. So, now that my mind is back in the right gear, let's get it on.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 35: Building Relations, Building Trust

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As much as Neal would have liked to meet with the Council in the tower, find his focus crystal and be off again, for some reason he couldn't help but feel that he should remain for a moment. The Council, as it turns out, was in a very important meeting and, for the moment, could not under any circumstances be interrupted. So it was Neal found himself wandering through the streets of Blue Waters watching as people went about their lives.

Although every time he came near some people immediately tensed and put on big smiles but it was clear to him that he was as out of place here as an elephant at a dog show.

Still though, some people greeted him with genuine warmth and more than one came to speak to him for a moment before returning to their work. As he reached the outskirts of the town, he heard whistling and saw several people in light linen clothing carrying nets, rods, line, lures, and all sorts of fishing tack and gear. One of the young women saw his interest and came up to him.

"The fishermen of the town do this about twice a week. They go out in their boats, cast their nets and come back in. Then, at the end of the day, they go back out, collect their nets, and take the fish they've caught to the butcher who takes them, cleans them, and then places them into the ice rooms for storage. This island is decent enough that we can hunt deer or other animals but we have to watch our timing." Neal nodded.

"Hunt too much and there's not enough for next year. It's like harvesting plants. Take only enough so that the plant can recover. My grandfather was the same way." The woman nodded.

"It is dangerous work though, going out on those small boats. My husband, rest his soul, lost his life some twelve years ago when a shark tipped his boat and killed him." Neal glanced at her.

"You mean that all people have here are small rowboats?" The woman nodded.

"Indeed. We hardly ever leave the island and even when we do we don't venture forth very far, some lingering fears over something that happened ages ago."

"What sort of fears?"

Neal turned to see Skylar and Hunter and Lyca coming along with Spyro and Cynder who were still looking around curiously. The woman sighed and then glanced to the dragons and then back to Lyca.

"Alquer wouldn't like me saying this but, to the Abyss with it, there _is_ a port, or rather _was_ a port, on the far side of the island. It was small but at least nine large vessels could dock there. According to the records, the port was bringing in multiple ships when a passing dragon set fire to the ships and port before flying off. All that's left is a series of rotting docks and burnt wrecks that have slipped beneath the waves." Neal nodded.

"Any idea how big the vessels were?" The woman shrugged.

"No idea how long they were but as far as I know they had at least two masts." Neal nodded.

"Sail or oar?"

"The only drawing in the archives has both." Neal nodded.

"So then, most likely galleys, maybe biremes or triremes. Ships like that had crews of anywhere between seventy to two hundred depending on the size." Spyro glanced to him, curious.

"What ships were those?" Neal smiled.

"They were the vessels used in the ancient world. Mostly in the Mediterranean Sea and between nations like the Roman Empire, Greece, Egypt, and other nations of the time. According to history, because of some die-hard fanatics who insisted that the Med could only be navigated by galley, they were still being built well into the eighteenth century, two centuries after being made obsolete by advanced sailing ships. Still though, most civilizations could not have reached their peaks without naval power and that power hinged on how many and what kinds of galleys they had at anchor." Spyro gazed at him stunned but nodded and then a fisherman who was nearby spoke up.

"Is there a way to create these ships? It would certainly help with bringing in the catch." Neal nodded.

"It's possible but to create a ship it would require a lot of wood and metal. Even with my powers, it would still take a substancial amount of mana." The man nodded and turned just as a large brown object flew over a nearby wall and struck the ground nearby.

Rather than appear startled by the near miss (the object had sailed just an inch from his head), the man chuckled and picked up the object, a leather ball of some sort, and with a grunt tossed it back over the wall, a mild reply of 'Thanks' coming back over. Neal glanced to the wall and back and the woman smiled.

"The kids. They get together and play games while their parents and older siblings are away. It falls to the elders to watch over them." Neal nodded.

"What games do they play?" The woman smiled.

"Whatever they feel like. Though, most these days that old leather ball is flying around. The little ones are constantly coming up with new games to play." Neal chuckled at that and then decided to go see for himself.

As the group entered the wide area used to play games, only pure reflex allowed him to catch the ball that had been headed straight for his face. Almost at once a mixed cry went up from the two teams, one of cheering and the other of protest.

"That's not fair! He's not on your team!"

"Maybe so but he still stopped the ball!"

"That doesn't count! We still get the point!"

"No you don't; it was a clean block." One of the kids cheering for the block glanced to Neal and the others as Neal handed him the ball back.

"You _are_ technically playing, right? I mean most adults only come back here when they want to either watch or take part." Neal looked to the group and then looked to the kids and gave a small shrug.

"I guess I'm playing then. As long as one of you can tell me what the game is." Skylar and the others also voiced their curiousity and one of the older children nodded.

"The game is called Rushe Velocis. Originally, back in ancient times, this game would be played to honor Velocis, the old God of Wind who allowed our ships to sail the oceans. It is a game of speed, technique, and endurance. Two teams of ten, two goals as marked by the two sets of poles on either side of the field. Using only your feet, get the ball here to go in between the two poles to score a point. No physical contact is allowed, and only the guardians are allowed use of their hands to stop the ball from entering the goal." Neal suddenly got the idea and chuckled.

"In my world we have a similar sport called Soccer, or European Football, that uses similar rules. However... those goals... tell me, how many times has the ball hit something or someone?" The child laughed.

"That's where the reflexes are said to come in. If the ball continues past the posts, the guardian is supposed to shout 'headache' to alert anyone passing behind the goal. Those with good reflexes dodge while those with poor reflexes... well..." Neal nodded.

"They get a headache, right?" The child nodded and Neal sighed.

"We had a similar system when working on ships, mainly on the masts or crow's nest. If we dropped something from above, shout 'headache' to get people to move out of the way. I'm told that construction workers, shipbuilders, and linemen have similar alerts. Still, you know a good way of stopping the ball from going past the posts?" The child shrugged and Neal smiled.

"Where do the fishermen store any old, unused, or damaged nets?" The children pointed to a nearby building and after a few moments, Neal and Skylar had salvaged two large nets and, using the anchor lines along the sides, had lashed them to the poles. Stepping back to admire his handiwork, he was stunned to see a kid kick the ball and it whiz right past him and strike the net dead center. The net didn't give or break and the ball dropped where it was and Neal smiled.

"That ought to cut down on the number of 'headaches' people may suffer. How do you like that?" The kids looked over the nets, liked what they saw, and then started off. One of them handed Neal a strip of blue cloth.

"Here. This is to show what team you're on. We have open spots for the others." A young girl holding strips of red cloth came up and glanced to Cynder and Lyca and smiled.

"Will you be on our team? It won't be fair if Theo's team gets all of you." Cynder and Lyca looked to each other and then to Neal and Spyro and they both smiled. Neal returned the smile and shrugged.

"Alright then, sounds fair. But be warned, we won't go easy." Lyca turned quickly and playfully slapped him with her tail and glanced back over her shoulder.

"Wouldn't count on it love. Fair warning, neither will we." As they walked off to their team and placed red bands on them, Sparx came up beside him and surveyed the field before looking to Spyro and Neal.

"You're both going to get your tails handed to you, you know?" Spyro and Neal both nodded.

"Possibly." They said in unison. Neal then turned to Spyro and smiled.

"Might as well make it a challenge then." Spyro looked to him.

"How?" Neal shrugged.

"A team is a chain, and any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Find that weak link, put pressure on it, snap it, and then the whole chain falls apart." Spyro barked out a laugh and gave him a peculiar look.

"Have you been listening to Terrador? That sounds like something he would said... in fact something he _has_ said to me before." Neal chuckled.

"I may or may not have listened to his lessons once or twice while taking care of Domino and Rivet. I have to admit though, he'd certainly do the old Chief proud."

"Old Chief?" Neal nodded.

"Back in the CG, when I was on boarding duty, I was in a team with a grizzled old veteran who may or may not have followed Moses across the Red Sea. The old guy was always quoting some long dead war hero or general who may or may not have said some of the things he claimed he had said. Sometimes he'd come up with the craziest one-liners." Sparx glanced to him.

"Such as?" Neal chuckled.

"Once one of the kitchen hands said something about growing vegetables on the ship in order to cut down on costs. He'd actually already started by placing a plot of radishes on the heli deck. Well, one day we needed to use the helicopter and the Chief knocked the radishes over the side of the ship. When the kitchen hand confronted him about it, he looked him straight in the face and said: 'A radish will not stand in the way of victory. Marshal Foche.'" Sparx gave him a flat look.

"That made no sense whatsoever." Neal chuckled at his confusion.

"Not supposed to. Now then, I take it you're just going to hover there and glow, right?" Sparx thought for a moment and nodded.

"Might as well. I don't see myself faring well against a leather ball that's roughly as big as I am hurled at high speed through the air. I _will_ however, cheer you on. And at the first sign of imminent defeat, I'm cheering for the other team." Spyro rolled his eyes and walked out onto the field with Neal as the teams readied themselves. At the sound of a horn, the game began.

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(meanwhile, just off the coast of Blue Waters)

The sight before him was incredible. Not only were there small boats moving back and forth across the waters but nearer to the docks where the boats had left stood Neal's vessel _Guardian_. If he had to be honest, staring at the behemoth of a warship that predated his by half a century, Danny felt a little jealous. Eve had told him that it took an enormous amount of mana to create the ship to begin with when compared to the _Explorer_ (formerly _Bainbridge_ ).

Still though, as caution was the better part of valor, Danny had decided to wait off shore for a while before heading into port. He stood there on the bridge of the ship watching with momentary glances of astonishment as Eve (having mechanized the majority of the ship) made small adjustments to the ship's heading and speed, trying her best to keep the _Explorer_ out of visual range of the fishermen but also away from the sight of the dragons o the _Guardian_ 's deck.

Even though he knew that they were friendly, with Goro on board, he opted for patience. Still though, part of him felt uneasy. Ever since leaving the mainland, he had not thought to check the weapons (all his time having been preoccupied with Darte). Thankfully though she was now calm enough to go about as she wished, he was no longer able to test the weapons without alerting the fishermen or the _Guardian_.

Since the _Explorer_ was pre-Radar, his watch mainly consisted of staring through a spyglass for several moments. He wasn't sure _why_ he was on watch, but since Eve had automated almost everything on the ship, his duties were rather light. In fact, it was easy to say that he and Eve were the only ones really doing anything at the moment at all. Goro and Bianca were both down below preparing spells, modifying spells, or whatever sorcerers and sorceresses did in their down time.

Darte was down below catching up on some much needed sleep as the past few hours had been extremely taxing on her. Thanks to her self-restraint, nothing more than simply holding each other close had occured. In all honesty, he couldn't blame her for wanting to catch some much needed sleep since her heat period had ended during the short trip out here. Still, just gazing out at the waves while Neal was right there made him nervous.

For some reason, he knew that _something_ was about to happen.

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Neal ducked as Cynder shot the ball just over his head and into the net. he recovered the ball from the guardian and nodded to Lyca.

"You _were_ holding back that last time." Lyca grinned at the accusation.

"Maybe?" Neal returned the smile and handed the ball to her and then returned to the start position beside Spyro.

"What does this bring the score up to?" Spyro thought for a moment and sighed.

"Sixteen to eight. Cynder and Lyca are playing for keeps out there." Neal nodded and frowned.

"Yeah I figured we were behind when Sparx started cheering for the red team. So how about you? Your back still stings?" Spyro craned about and popped his back but shook his head.

"No, I'm alright. I just didn't see Cynder coming that's all. Still, it was an inventive evasive move. Wish she would have given me more warning before using my back as a springboard." Neal nodded with a smile.

"Same way I wish Lyca had given me more warning before trying to take my head off with that power kick. I swear the wind from the kick and the ball stirred my hair."

A loud bell tolled through the town and the kids on the field stopped in their tracks, their expressions transforming from joy to fear. Neal looked around and vaguely heard the report of cannon fire from out at sea. He glanced to one of the kids who mouthed one word.

Pirates.

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Goro's spell was working perfectly in conjunction with Eve's powers. Eve had control of the hydraulics controling the turrets and Goro's spell of animation made the shells and cannons work by themselves. Danny, upon sighting the pirate ship, had abandoned the post on the bridge to take position by the torpedo tubes on the port side of the ship. Eve, through the Book, told him she had everything well in hand and that she was also notifying the crew on the _Guardian_.

The first warning shots fired from the forward turret fell low and splashed in the water. The pirates heard the cannonfire and started to turn towards the _Explorer_. For a moment, Danny felt a little worry seeing all the cannons lining the side of the pirate ship but then heard gears cranking and saw the midship turrets and the aft turret rotate to face the pirate ship. Aware that Goro probably heard him, he faced the turrets.

"The first shots were low! Adjust elevation by about six degrees!" He then turned to the wheelhouse.

"Eve! If we can't sink these bastards with the cannons, try and get us in range of the torpedoes!"

The cannons moved of their own accord, making the adjustment and fired at once. The recoil rocked the ship slightly but Danny's trained eyes were able to follow the shells as they streaked towards the pirates. Only moments later, the guns fired again, sending another broadside over just as the first one landed and hit the mark. Danny couldn't see what sort of damage the five inch cannons were causing but he knew that those pirates weren't happy.

Just as the second attack hit, the pirates fired a few of their cannons aimed at the small boats that were hurrying to drag in their nets. He cursed at their tactics and turned back to the wheelhouse.

"Eve, set course for those boats! We have to protect them!" He braced himself as the ship turned hard to port and made a bee-line for the small boats, bow cannons retraining on the pirates and opening fire. Still though, before they had a chance, the pirates fired again, this time with chain shot that crashed through several of the small boats forming the flotilla. Men scrambled and leapt into the water as the _Explorer_ closed.

"Reduce speed to one-third! Come right on the rudder, prepare to rescue survivors! All cannons prepare to fire at will!" Danny left the torpedo position on the port and ran for the gear storage room on the deck and grabbed a 'man-overboard' ladder and ran to the bow. He all but kicked the railing gate open and hooked the ladder onto the hull and started waving to the swimming crew to climb aboard.

Once the first six men were aboard, they started helping the others in the water climb aboard as well. Danny, knowing that they were alright, returned to the torpedo station to see the pirates making for them, obviously intending to board the smaller _Explorer_.

However, they were broadside to the ship and were now within torpedo range. These torpedoes were the simple 'straight-running' which meant he had to judge where the pirates would be and fire the torpedoes ahead of the ship. Just as the cannons fired, Danny caught a glimpse of some of the humans watching what he was doing. He angled the tubes out to sea, lowered the rig, and then lined up behind the tubes to check their alignment and nodded with satisfaction.

Pulling the safety pins from the torpedoes and priming the tubes, he returned to the launch platform.

"Firing full spread: torpedo! Tube One, _Fire!_ " The hiss of compressed air roared as the torpedo shot out from the tube and landed in the water. He then switched the primer to the second tube.

"Tube Two, _Fire!_ " The familiar hiss echoed again and the second torpedo was away, followed quickly by the third.

Danny cycled to the last port side torpedo tube and pressed the button. The hiss of air echoed but, to his horror, the torpedo only slid halfway out of the tube. The high pitched whine of the engine was heard clearly from within the tube.

" _Damn!_ Hot run! Hot run! Eve, I need that compressor charged or else we'll be swimming to shore!"

He waited for a moment, then pushed the firing lever again. This time, thankfully, the torpedo shot out the rest of the way, landed in the water, and was on the way to the target. Danny glanced at the clock built onto the platform and watched as the four blue markers, indicating the torpedoes, wound their way around the timer. The red marker, indicating the pirate ship, remained where it was as the first blue marker closed in on it.

He could see there was some sort of activity on the pirate ship and for a moment, Danny could see the trail of the torpedo as it crossed the distance in between the ships.

Glancing down, he saw the blue mark eclipse the red mark. Then, he heard it.

An explosion shot a column of fire and water into the air, broken wood and cannons fell from the ship and he gazed in amazement at the massive hole that had been ripped into the ship. Laid bare were the insides of the ship, four decks, cargo, crew, upper and lower gun decks, and then the top deck. Ropes and line snapped and fire caught in the sails, setting them alight. The middle of the ship's three masts broke free of the deck and fell over to the side, the pirate's flag falling with it.

Water rushed inwards to flood the ship and it lazily started to roll over onto its starboard side. The open gun ports aided in speeding the sinking of the vessel. Pirates leapt from the decks and started swimming frantically for either shore or for the _Explorer_ or for the _Guardian_ which had now joined the fray. Danny realized suddenly that there were a good number of the swimming for the _Explorer_ , still intending to board the vessel. One of the humans came up to him.

"They are still coming to board the ship! Give us weapons, we can fight!" Danny nodded and, using some mana, created cutlasses, axes, and maces for the men to use, however, he thought it best that it should not come down to a boarding fight. Silently, he cursed himself for what he was about to do, but it was either him and the people here, or these pirates.

He was not going to allow these cutthroats aboard his ship.

Danny left the torpedoes and climbed the ladder leading to the flying deck and stepped into one of the parapets on the port side. With practiced precision, he unstrapped the machinegun, a .50 cal M2, loaded it, and then trained the weapon on the pirates. At the last second, he lowered the weapon and fired not on the pirates, but where they were swimming towards.

The loud report of the machinegun echoed across the open ocean. The result however, was comical. The pirates that had been swimming towards the _Explorer_ , stopped cold, changed direction, and started swimming for land. As he saw this, he also saw the beach lined with humans and dragons, a wolf, and two cheetahs. Danny smiled as he saw this and then looked to the humans on the ship and nodded.

"Those pirates get to shore, they'll have the welcoming party from hell."


	39. Pirates and Pilots

Okay guys, I'm back with another chapter that, if I finish it before Christmas, then Merry Christmas! If not, Happy New Year!

Also, got one heck of a (late) Christmas present (besides my Mom coming home from the Hospital safe and sound). One of my cousins, knowing I was a big history (and military history) buff, got me a book about the Medal of Honor, the United States of America's highest decoration for courage, valor, and bravery above and beyond the call of duty.

Well, I got to reading it and found a soldier who recieved the medal during WWII who, in my personal opinion, in the definition of 'being a badass'.

Sergeant Charles 'Commando' Kelly was not your poster boy kind of soldier. Numerous scrapes with MPs and a serious charge of going AWOL (Absent Without Leave (Permission)) got him kicked out of the Airborne Candidacy program early on and he was reassigned to the North Africa bound 36th Division. In his own words, 'The only way I could get overseas was to f*** up.'

However, once in the field he was a CO's dream. He volunteered to lead patrols whenever possible and on 13 September, 1943, he became a legend.

Kelly's Company was pinned by German machinegun fire on a hill just outside of Altavilla in Italy. He led the attack with his BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and fought till lack of ammo forced him back. He returned to the mayor's house (which the Americans had been using for a stockpile) and found it besieged by Germans. He entered the building and for the next day was what one soldier later termed 'a one-man army'.

He first fired the BAR (now resupplied) until the barrel grew hot and warped, rendering it useless. He then picked up a Thompson and fired until he could not find any more ammo for it. Then, he picked up another BAR and fired until it too was rendered useless.

As American soldiers fell left and right of him, Kelly seemed invincible as he moved from room to room, window to window fighting back the German assault. He finally made it to the third floor of the building and used the arsenal within to great effect.

He fired four rounds from a bazooka which did tremendous damage to the street and buildings the enemy was taking cover in, he then lobbed an incendiary grenade onto the roof of another building across the street where German snipers were taking position, not long after, he spotted a line of German soldiers advancing up an alley and pulled the pins on several 60mm mortar shells and dropped them out the window.

The blasts rocked the foundations of the house and shattered what windows weren't already broken. Then, spotting snipers in a church bell tower, Kelly risked his life running out into the courtyard and manning a 37mm antitank gun. However, he was not trained on the weapon otherwise he would have noticed that the cannon barrel wasn't aiming directly at the bellfry but rather at the top of the wall he was currently facing!

The explosion from the armor piercing shell shot straight into the wall blew him backwards into a different wall.

Manning the gun again, this time he loaded a high explosive shell, raised the barrel, and successfully blew the bellfry off the church. He continued to use the cannon until he was out of shells and then as the Americans started withdrawing, he volunteered to cover their withdrawal.

Later, when he rejoined his unit, they greeted him with both amazement and incredulity. One soldier even stating that they had already had been given plans to try and recover his body. Commando Kelly went on to display more heroics during the fighting at the Rapido River Valley until President Roosevelt ordered him home and he recieved the Medal of Honor.

Anyway, enough history for the moment, on with the story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 36: Pirates and Pilots

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Neal had reached the beach where the _Guardian_ had been moored and spotted a second ship in the distance firing on the pirate ship that had been attacking the fishing boats. As he came aboard, he heard the hiss of steam and felt the ship starting to move from the dock. Eve's luminescent form was standing be the bridge, watching the pirate ship and the new ship with concern. Terra, Growler and Toxis were preparing to take off to attack the pirates when Neal caught sight of a trail of bubbles arcing across the sea and shouted to the crew.

"Torpedo in the water, heading for the pirates!" The crew and the dragons watched in stunned silence as the underwater weapon struck the ship, blasting a hole in the side and dealing a mortal wound to the vessel as she started to capsize. Getting underway, Neal started to scan the water and noticed that several fishing boats had sunk and although the new ship was aiding by pulling people aboard, there were still people in the water and the pirates who had jumped overboard were now swimming for the ship and the survivors. He frowned at what he guessed they were doing and turned to the wheelhouse.

"Set course for the survivors there! We must protect them from the pirates!"

The _Guardian_ 's single propellor started turning quickly enough to make the water behind the ship churn and froth. In the distance, the report of a machinegun rattled off, getting Neal's attention and he saw his brother Danny standing on the flying deck bracing against a heavy machinegun as he tried to deter the pirates from his ship.

Though inwardly he frowned at the tactic, he had to admit there was no other recourse. The majority of the pirates started swimming for shore, the stench of wet dog become stronger the closer they got. Neal heard a series of roars and saw the dragons, including Spyro, Cynder, Flame, and even Ember starting to dive bomb the swimming pirates, dropping debris or in Growler and Spyro's cases, using their ice element to freeze the water and some pirates into icebergs that, once caught in the current, floated aimlessly away.

Using some of his mana, Neal created a ladder that ran down the hull to just above the waterline and waved to the people still in the water. However, the pirates also saw him and started dog paddling their way to him. Inwardly, Neal swore.

 _(It's just like that time... the Clara DeLione...)_

It was one of his last missions with the boarding teams. A small boat had been captured by drug runners and the passengers held hostage. The smugglers lost control of the boat however and now they and the survivors were swimming towards the Coast Guard vessel. The hostages seeking help, the smugglers wanting to recapture their hostages.

That day, Neal had been forced to turn his weapon on the smugglers to save the hostages, now before him was an exact copy of that scenario. Wordlessly summoning a rifle, he took aim at the pirates gaining on the fishermen and opened fire. The first round missed, striking water, the following four rounds however hit their marks, the blue waters turning slightly red as the pirates succumbed to their wounds and their gear and weapons dragged them under.

"Pirates climbing the sides! We're being boarded!"

Neal turned to face the shout and spotted one of the _Guardian_ 's crew fighting back a pirate who had boarded and more still who were coming over the rail and onto the deck. Acting quickly, he drew his sidearm, aimed and fired. The large .45 round struck the pirate and sent him back over the side just as Gregory and the rest of the crew joined him on deck to repel the pirates.

An arrow sprouted from another pirate and then another and Neal spotted Hunter and Larke standing by the wheelhouse firing arrows into the pirates. From below, the sound of the engine firing up got his attention as the _Guardian_ started moving away from port and out to sea. Neal walked to the wheelhouse to see Gregory standing there stern-faced.

"That was but a scouting vessel. I bet me last gold coin there's a fleet waiting just beyond and they'll have seen the smoke and heard the sounds of battle and be makin' a-sail to challenge us." Neal nodded to the Captain and picked up a spyglass and scanned the horizon.

"Are the gun crews in position?" Gregory nodded.

"Aye. I sent them below as soon as that other vessel fired a warning shot at the first pirate ship. I can't help but wonder though who that is and what kind of ship is that?" Neal directed his attention to the vessel and smiled.

"That would be my older brother and as for the ship, I have no idea but it looks like a destroyer class."

At that moment, the lookout above rung the bell three times to get the attention of the crew below.

"Pirates on the horizon! Looks like either five or six ships!" Neal frowned and nodded to Gregory and started for the hangar on the ship. On the way he saw Terra, Toxis, and Growler taking a starting leap from the rear of the deck and, with three pumps of their wings, take to the air and angle towards the incoming pirates. Neal watched them depart, then entered the hangar and started fitting out the Nieuport 28C with several 'cord' bombs, heavy frag grenades, and checked to make sure the linked machineguns had ammo. Starting the engine, he glanced around and saw the _Guardian_ had changed course to where they were fully into the wind. He also saw that his brother's ship had likewise made the turn but didn't see anything else.

With the throttle at full power, the French biplane soared off the aft deck and climbed easily to an attack altitude. As he angled towards the pirates, he heard a second engine from behind him and turning was greeted with a surprise. There, rising up to meet him, was his brother.

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Danny had at first been nervous about following Eve's advice about using a plane to enter the fray, even though he had designed the flying deck for just such a purpose but still, he frowned at his limitations and thought long and hard about what sort of plane he would feel comfortable with. Still, remembering Neal soaring in to the rescue at Darkfort made him smile and he then thought back to what he knew. Growing up, he had been enthralled by stories of World War 1 pilots like Eddie Rickenbacker, the legendary race car driver turned Ace of Aces, Billy Mitchell, the commander of the American Air Service who later advocated for a stronger air force, and Frank Luke, the pilot who rivalled Rickenbacker for the position of America's Top Ace.

Still though, more honestly, he also remembered the stories of Manfried von Richthofen, the Red Baron and greatest of all WWI pilots.

The thought of flying again filled Danny with longing and he started channeling his mana to create an aircraft. He heard a roar and saw three dragons take off from the _Guardian_ and then saw Neal going into what Eve had told him was a hangar on the deck and inwardly smiled as he thought of flying with his brother. There was a flash of Forge magic, and then, sitting on the runway of the _Explorer_ was a plane that made Danny's jaw drop.

A British Spad , in American colors, with a symbol painted on the side of the fuselage: a red, white, and blue star-spangled top hat and a golden ring. The emblem of the legendary 94th Aero Squadron, more famously known as the 'Hat-in-the-Ring' Squadron. As Danny examined the fully armed plane, he heard another engine in the distance and saw Neal taking off in a French biplane and gave a nod to himself.

"It's now or never."

The Spad's powerful engine coughed once before it roared to life, the twin bladed wooden propellor becoming a blur. The gauges all showed good readings and he was aware of several humans he had picked up watching him with amazement. He felt the ship move as Eve moved the ship to follow the _Guardian_ and also give Danny the best chance to get in the air. Releasing the 'brakes' (wooden blocks against the wheels), the Spad roared down the runway and at the end, dipped down a moment but was then climbing up int the clouds.

Danny couldn't help but smile as he rediscovered his thrill of flying and laughed loudly at Neal's expression as he fell into formation alongside his brother.

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Neal was fairly certain his jaw had punched a hole in the floor of the Nieuport when he saw his brother falling into formation with him. As soon as he collected himself, he smiled and then nodded to him and pointed out the pirate ships. He had to yell over the noise of the engines and the wind to be heard and Danny probably had to as well to reply.

"Five ships there! The only defences against flying enemies is repositioning their cannons to fire straight up at us! Pick a target and let 'em have it!" Danny glanced down at the ships and pointed to one and frowned, yelling back.

"I would think that we may need to save our bombs for _that_ ship there! Looks like their flag vessel! I'd wager anything that she's built to take quite a beating and still open a case of whoop-ass!" Neal spotted the vessel in question.

The vessel was similar but different from the ship he'd seen before. Four-masted, square rigged, lacking the improvised 'arena', but making up the difference with many more guns. If Neal's memory served, the ship was most likely either a second or first rate 'ship of the line', meaning it had enough cannons to do considerable damage and enough crew in reserve that, if they got the chance to board either the _Guardian_ or Danny's ship they would easily take it.

He was relieved to see Growler already hemming in one ship be creating a wall of jagged ice, completely encircling it. Terra had apparently found a rather large rock formation close to the surface and used her powers to make the formation grow into a rather large obstruction that, at present, had one of the pirate ships perfectly balanced in between the formations three rock points like a model ship on a stand. Toxis had also done a good job by coating the deck of another ship in thick green fog that had half the crew jumping overboard and the other half retching over the side.

That left the flagship and another vessel that looked like a schooner. The crew of the schooner had actually managed to prop their guns up using various objects and were using them as makeshift AA guns, firing grape shot and burst shells into the air whenever the three dragons tried to make a run at the flagship. He frowned at that and then looked back to Danny.

"We can make a run at the schooner that's shielding the flagship, but we do that, we blow our surprise! We try to bypass the schooner and go for the flagship we risk getting out wings clipped as we dive to bomb it! What do you think?!" Danny glanced down to the schooner and smiled.

"They've got powder and shot littering their deck! One spark and the whole damn thing'll blow itself into oblivion! Strafe the schooner, circle back and then bomb the flagship! We should still have the surprise needed to land a critical hit!" Neal nodded.

"Together then?!" Danny laughed.

"Just try and stop me!"

Danny brought his plane up right beside Neal's and they both pushed the control sticks foward and pitched the planes into a dive. As they dived, both brothers fired their machineguns at the pirate ship. True to Danny's asute observation, several barrels of packed black powder and even more bags of loose priming powder were riddled with bullets and some of the bags burst into flames. The pirates, suddenly seeing what was incoming and what their attack was doing, panicked and started jumping overboard just as the flames reached the magazine.

The stockpile detonated just after Neal and Danny flew over, Neal regretted not having a camera to record the potentially badass moment. He spared a glance nack and was rewarded with a spectacular fireball rising from the wrecked ship which, due to the sheer volume of powder stored, the midsection was reduced to splinters and roughly fifteen feet of the bow and ten feet of the stern were blown in opposite directions.

He leveled out the plane, reversed his course and angled for the flagship. However, he suddenly saw Danny waving frantically and pulling away just as a loud 'boom' echoed from below. The next thing Neal was aware of was the engine coughed out a thick plume of smoke, he tasted engine oil in his mouth, and saw the lower left wing get absolutely shredded by what was either grape shot or cannister shot.

Acting on reflex, Neal pulled the release cord, dropping the bombs over the flagship and then angled the damaged plane for the closest ship which was Danny's.

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Danny had seen the pirates pull smaller falconets from under sheets and aim them upwards, muzzles twisted in a mix of rage and glee. He had pitched up, releasing his payload which impacted the ship just as one of the smaller cannons fired and he watched in horror as the cannister exploded in mid air and ripped into Neal's plane wing and impacted the engine, damaging something. Still, Neal was able to drop his bombs which finished raking the deck and started back for the _Explorer_.

An explosion behind him heralded the end of the pirate flagship but Danny kept his eyes on his brother as he could hear Neal swearing vehemontly and fighting to keep the damaged plane in the air.

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"This can _not_ be happening! Not again!" Neal yelled to himself as the damaged plane fought him as he tried to reach the closest ship. With the left wing shredded, the aircraft wanted to go into a barrel roll. Holding the stick with all his strength, Neal knew that if the weakened wing went into a high-G spin, it would be ripped right off and that would be the end of him. He took a moment to wipe his face and spit over the side, engine oil mingling with his saliva.

The memories hit him like a bag of cement. The grinding of the gears. The blaring of the alarms. The crackling of the radio. The voices of his crew, his team, his friends. Mills rattling off a mayday while skimming through the restart procedures. Hawkins screaming that his grip was slipping, Edwards screaming for him to hang on.

To Neal, the sky turned black as lightning arced across the sky. The plane's cockpit morphed into that of a helicoptor. His breathing deepened, he felt himself sweating. The drops of oil spraying from the damaged engine became drops of rain. That familiar feeling took hold, falling from the sky. However, something was different.

 _"Neal! Neal!"_

The voice... it seemed familiar... It wasn't one of his crew... no... One of his old shipmates? No, not that either... Faces popped into him mind, names... Suddenly, it clicked.

"Spyro? Cynder?"

 _"Right on both counts. Apparently using our blood as the cure did more than just change your appearance. We've been somehow linked."_ Cynder's voice now echoed.

 _"Neal... you have to snap out of it. You're in danger of crashing! None of this is happening... your mind is creating these flashbacks."_ Neal coughed, tasting oil and spat again. However, the voices of his friends had done the trick and he snapped out of it just in time to adjust the plane and resume his course to Danny's ship.

As he lined the plane up with the ship, he already saw Spyro and Cynder standing alongside the ape, the dragoness, and the rabbit enchanter Bianca on deck. The Nieuport landed heavier than he'd have liked and he heard a loud snap as the landing gear snap and the plane go into a skid which finished breaking the left wing off the fuselage and force the propellor to break free and spin off into the distance to port.

Neal tried to leap from the cockpit once the plane had stopped but instead he, rather ungraciously, flopped out of the pilot's seat, crawled to the side and started coughing, hacking, and spitting to get the engine oil out of his mouth before collapsing and rolling over onto his back to gaze up at the clouds. He was vaguely aware of his brother's plane landing and was suddenly gazing upwards at Danny's face while Bianca muttered a spell or incantation which seemed to restore some of his energy, not enough for him to fully recover but enough to restore some levity to his mind and make him sit up without the overwhelming urge to vomit again.

After a moment, Neal finally recovered his voice and gazed at Spyro and Cynder and gave them a weak smile.

"Thank you both. If you hadn't called out to me like that I'd have been a goner. I guess I still have some demons to sort out from my past..." Danny nodded.

"You and me both brother. I still have flashbacks from when I was first pulled into this world. Still though, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Like a shipmate of mine used to say: Treat it like you would any other wound, see a doctor, talk it over with those you trust and are close to, and you'll be alright. You'll never be the same person you once was but at least there's hope." Neal gave his brother a nod and started to rise when one of the humans from the island came on the deck and pointed.

"There's another swimmer approaching the ship! He's all alone though!" Danny left Neal and walked to the nearest machinegun and spotted the target but didn't shoot. Instead, he turned to Goro.

"Goro! That's an ape swimming towards us!" Goro huffed and readied his staff.

"That doesn't mean anything lad. I told already that not all of us apes are walking the same path."

At that moment, Terra landed with Hunter and Skylar and, upon seeing the ape swimming for the _Explorer_ , Hunter notched an arrow. However, Bianca was there instantly and placed a hand over his, gently guiding him to lower his bow.

"The ape swimming for us is not an enemy. I sense that he will be important to Danny's path in the days to come." Hunter froze as her hand touched his and he turned to gaze at her with at first incredulity but then calmness and nodded.

For some reason though, his heart continued to beat rather quickly even after she had removed her hand from his and walked to the side of the deck. If he had been facing Bianca, he would have seen a small blush on her face as her heart too continued to beat fiercely.

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Okay, I think I worked myself out of my slump. Sorry it took so long to update the story. So, a new mystery character and plus Neal has survived yet another near-death experience.

Next Chapter: Hocus Pocus Focus (or... The Rebel Who Cannot Be Named)


	40. The Rebel Who Must Not Be Named

Hi everybody, here we are yet again with a new chapter! Well, the groundhog saw it's shadow and for that matter so did my Aunt Tammy. That means winter will be sticking around a little longer. Guess I'll have to hold off breaking up the garden and getting it ready. On the bright side, the puppies my dog had on New Years are now officially one month old.

Anyway, here's the new chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 37: The Rebel Who Cannot Be Named

(AN: Decided to go ahead with this part first and the focus crystals will be the second part. The journey on Blue Waters is almost finished, afterwards, the Spire and Dante's Freezer.)

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Neal stood beside his brother, behind him, stood Spyro, Cynder, Darte, Lyca, Eve, Hunter, Bianca, Skylar, Larke, Ember, Flame, and Terra. Toxis had been injured by some stray cannister shot from the pirate ship she had sprayed poison on and Growler was remaining by her side while she recovered. Before the group, seated, were seven men and women wearing long robes, their hands resting on a variety of objects but Neal could see crystals embedded in their objects.

These seven were the Council of Magi and the objects they kept their hands on were most likely their focuses. Behind the council were two thones, one slightly smaller than the other which was elevated. The elevated throne showed obvious signs that no one had touched it in a long time. In the smaller throne sat Alquer his staff leaning against him as he smiled at the group.

"Brothers Neal and Daniel Foster, before you are the Council of Magi! I am Archmage Alquer, Acting Master of Magic for the Academy of Blue Waters! Beside me is the Throne of the Archmage, empty since the death of Archmage Gartome in the closing days of the Dragon War, long may he and his deeds be remembered!" The seven Council mages dipped their heads as if in respect. Alquer nodded to them and then returned his attention to Neal and the others.

"Now standing before us is not one but _two_ descendants of Master Gartome. Both of them share their ancestor's affinity for magic _and_ are the proof that his long time gambit ages ago was successful. They are not only Magi they are also _Forgers_ , wielders of both human and draconic magic. They stand before us today, requesting permission to gain a focus, so as to better control and use their incredible powers for the betterment and safety of their comrades, friends, and families! Based on what has been demonstrated by them, are we in agreement as to the course of action?"

The seven Magi looked to one another and one by one they each tapped their focus crystals which lit up with a soft, warm glow. Alquer smiled, nodded and then made a broad gesture to Neal and Danny.

"The Council is in agreement. You may now venture forth and claim your focus crystals. However, earning the council's approval is only part of the challenge. You must now traverse the forest to the Crystal Cave inside the largest of the Three Sisters. Normally, you would be barred from using magic since use of magic without a focus could lead to serious self-injury. However, the other tribe of humans on the island live in the forest. They are violent by nature and will very likely attack once you and your dragon companions enter the forest." Neal grimaced for a moment and then sighed, remembering what was at stake.

"Any idea of how armed or organized they are?" Alquer shook his head.

"Alas, no. However, I do know for a fact that there are no magic users among their number. However, those we have fought off showed remarkable skill with both the longbow and the sword." Neal nodded.

"Well, here's hoping that a few loud noises and some flashing lights can deter them." Danny looked to his brother.

"What are you thinking?" Neal smiled.

"Using percussion caps and some flash powder to create flashbang grenades and using large caliber blank rounds. Makes a lot of noise and bright flashes of light but causes no harm." Danny frowned.

"And if you have to fight back?" Neal sighed.

"We fight back. But... we just found out we're not the only humans still in this world. Do we _really_ have to fight if it can be avoided?" Danny looked to him, his expression unchanging.

"How can you say that when all both you and I have done since we got pulled into this world is fight? I mean, I don't know about you but so far I have fought to escape a prison, honed my fighting skills against others, and have also fought and sunk pirates." Neal shrugged.

"I guess that's my CG training talking." Danny shook his head.

"No it isn't. If I recall correctly, it was _you_ who introduced a bully's face to a brick wall when he wouldn't stop picking on your friends. Don't tell me you dislike fighting because growing up after Dad died that was _all_ you did. Granted you always acted in defence of others but that's beside the point. You. Never. Hesitated." Neal nodded.

"I know. In the short time I've been here I fought off a horde of apes attacking Hunter and Skylar's village, verbally clashed with dragons to prove my intentions, physically fought with street thugs, bandits, assassins. Pulled _your_ ass out of the fire at Darkfort as well as fought pirates. I've even fought through a castle of undead corpses." _This_ got Danny's attention but he remained silent.

"But I've also done more. I've helped restore a damaged part of Warfang to its former glory. I built homes and buisnesses, adopted two young dragons, gave them a home, sent them to school. Now... now I have a mate in Lyca. Sometimes I still can't wrap my head around everything." At that his brother smiled.

"Yeah, you _have_ done more than me. Mom'd really be proud of you; Dad too, you know that?" Neal nodded.

"Sometimes, I just wish I had done more." Danny nodded, his expression growing somber.

"I know that feeling all too well. Still, changing the past is a pointless and useless hope. What would you even change if you _could_ change something?" Neal paused for a moment, thinking things through and then sighed.

"I'd keep a closer eye on Domino and Rivet. Made sure they couldn't be abducted and used against me." Danny nodded.

"Okay, say you _did_ protect them that day. Then what? Would you have fought through the undead city? Would you have grown closer to Lyca? Would your bonds of friendship with these dragons grown deeper? Would you have been able to protect this island, these people, from the pirates? Would you have even _considered_ sailing for this 'Dante's Icebox' or whatever the hell it is in the first place?" Danny looked to his brother's face and remained stoic.

"The answer, little brother, is 'No'. _Eventually_ , you and Lyca's bond would have deepened but thanks to whatever events transpired that led you fighting the undead, she fell even more in love with to the bonds forged in battle, you now have friends who would _never_ , under _any_ circumstances, betray you or seek to cause you harm. Plus, you now have a reason to sail to this Axian's fortress, kick his ass, save your kids, and go home _happy_. One less threat against _you_."

"That's the way threats work. You foil one plan, you can bet they have at least _three_ auxilliary plots on the backburners just in case something goes balls up. Eventually, Axian would have succeeded and gotten you to come to him. At least now you are getting stronger so you can actually pose a threat to him." Neal gave his brother a smirk.

"Speaking from experience brother? Something happen while you were overseas?" Danny gave his brother a wayward smile and glanced away.

"That's classified. If I told you, I'd have to kill you and I don't much feel like pissing off several dragons, cheetahs, and an overly protective shewolf." Neal chuckled.

"I don't much think a 'classified' order means much in this world. Go on, spill it." Danny grew stern and shook his head.

"Neal, I can't. Never ask me that again. I'm serious. Not all my missions were on the books and considered 'clean'. I did what was asked of me. Nothing more, nothing less." Neal eyed his brother.

"Dog robber?" Danny returned the nod.

"Dog robber."

With that, Danny turned away to head towards the dock where the ape who had swam towards them was being held on the _Explorer_.

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On board the _Explorer_ , the mysterious ape was being kept in brig, not saying anything or for that matter even moving. Goro had taken position outside the cell and maintained eye contact with him no matter what. Occasionally he would mutter something or make a gesture but the ape remained silent and still.

As Danny came into the brig, he glanced at Goro who didn't break eye contact but sighed.

"He still hasn't said anything; not even sign language. I've tried every variance and type of hand and vocal communication possible to us apes. He's not ignorant or stupid, just clammed up. Silent treatment, waiting for us to make the first move." Danny nodded and eyed the ape curiously and then remembered something.

"My Father once told me, when words and gestures can't be understood or made, oftentimes appearance can tell more than the person. What can you tell from him based on his appearance? The state of his fur? Armor? Lack or presence of weapons? Even his silence can potentially speak volumes." Goro chuckled.

"Well then, what does his silence tell you?" Danny sighed and took a seat next to Goro.

"Well, either he doesn't trust us, which is probably obvious, or perhaps we are not the people he needs to speak to. Or we have yet to prove that we _are_ the people he should be speaking to." He turned to Goro.

"You're our resident ape, what about his appearance?" Goro huffed but narrowed his gaze at the other ape.

"There are eight different tribes of apes, each with their own unique fur color, armor, facepaint, tattoos, weapons, and sign language. However, this character is a complete muck up. His fur is a dark brown but tinged with grey, likely dyed, denoting that he spent a good part of his life on Gemvale Island."

"However, his facial tattoo is a design most commonly used on the Rock, most likely one who has ventured into one of the many shipwrecks on the Rock and salvaged something important. His face paint, though faded from exposure to sea water, is the color and pattern used by our sea-faring brethren who dwell in the Graveyard of Ships." He huffed and then gave a sigh.

"His armor, or what's left of it, means he was once a member, possibly a soldier or a guard, of the tribe that lives near the ruins of Concurrent Skies, however, the repairs and modifications to it are most commonly used by the tribe on Dante's Freezer to patch up worn equipment." He took a few quick sniffs and recoiled with a disgusted grunt.

"Smells like it as well, they use seal and whale blubber in just about everything. Plus, he may not look it but he _is_ armed. His gauntlets and the claws on them are specially sharpened in the fashion of _my_ tribe that aids in climbing icy slopes or ice walls."

Upon hearing that, the ape in the brig blinked and stared even closer at Goro.

"You... You are from the Spire?" Goro grunted and nodded.

"Born and raised in Glacier Gate, which is where I _assume_ you got those Ice Anchors. Heh, that's what we call those gauntlets he's wearing." The last was directed at Danny bit he nodded understandingly. The ape nodded slowly.

"Apes there were friendly, not overly so but kind enough to see me healed up and equipped before heading back out." Goro nodded.

"How did you come by all this? Upon your carcass you must have some piece of almost every single tribe." The ape chuckled.

"I get around. Sometimes easily, most times not so much. I'm... not very much liked." Goro huffed.

"Explains a little, but not how you got caught aboard a pirate ship. Were you with those fleabags or were you a prisoner?" The ape growled.

"Prisoner. I was betrayed, by my own. Still, I suppose a life fighting for pirates' amusement was preferable to death." Goro recoiled as if stung.

" _Betrayed?!_ My tribe betrayed you?!" The ape hurriedly shook his head.

"No no no, not the Spire. Those flea-ridden, mangy, flat-faced, lazy-eyed, red-assed, babbling baboons on the Freezer. _They_ made a big show of being 'on my side' and wanting to 'help my cause', but in the end they sold me out to those pirates to get me off the Freezer and our of their fur. They are blind to it, just like that fool Gaul. Malefor and his minions, Axian and Shadra, are leading the apes to utter destruction!" Danny sat up and looked to him.

"You are against Axian as well?" The ape froze.

" _You?!_ **You** are the Forger? The one who blinded Axian in one eye and escaped Darkfort?!" Danny chuckled.

"Well, yes I escaped from Darkfort but my brother was the one who wounded Axian." The ape shuddered for a moment but then collected himself.

"I apologize. It's just that, based on what we'd heard I had expected you to be... taller?" Danny stared at the ape, then he started laughing. He stopped long enough to see Goro and the ape's expressions and he nearly started again. However, he recovered and shook his head.

"Sorry, it's just that I never thought that phrase would be used to describe me or my brother. Ah hell, there goes my chance to quote Mel Gibson from Braveheart. Oh well, still, it's nice of you to think so but yeah, no ten foot tall Scotsmen here, only us six foot five Americans." The ape smiled.

"Still, if you put out one of Axian's evil eyes, you have to be pretty amazing. What am I saying? I'm here, sitting in the gaol of a ship that not one of my kind has ever seen, or thought to create, before." Danny chuckled.

"Well, to be honest, Goro contributed a fair amount of mana to the _Explorer_ 's construction. His magic also flows throughout the ship, removing the need for a large crew. It's designed by a Forger but it was human, Forger, rabbit, and ape magic that brought it into being. My brother's ship, _Guardian_ , used human and dragon magic." The ape froze for a moment but then nodded.

"I saw it. It doesn't surprise me that such a large ship was created by dragon magic. Still, it's good to hear that ape magic, rare as it is, was used to create this vessel. My time with the Rock and Graveyard taught me an appreciation for ship type and design." Danny nodded and rose, extending his hand.

"Name's Daniel Foster, friends call me Danny." The ape rose, smiled and clasped Danny's hand.

"My name is... well... I haven't fooled with it for a long time... for now, just call me Geist."

Goro gave a small strangled cough but Danny decided to let it slide for the moment. Still, his memory couldn't help but think on the meaning of that name/word.

Geist: Ghost.

As the two of them left the brig, Danny stopped Goro on the way and gave him a questioning look. Goro, knowing what that look meant, sighed and nodded.

"It is accepted among the apes, all eight tribes, that our former King, Gaul, had six children. Akran, the eldest, was slain by Gaul's own hand when he tried to usurp the throne. The Crown Prince had no love of dragons and despised Malefor above all else. He was not an ally, but neither was he an enemy. Beis, the second, was killed by the dragon Ignitus, Guardian of Fire in the Volcanic Basin. Caon, the third, was killed by the dragon Terrador, Guardian of Earth, during the raid on the temple in which Gaul stole Cynder's egg. These three were the first, heirs apparent."

"Next was Dietra, the only girl, she was exiled after trying to kill Cynder when she had just hatched. After her was Elcof who met his end rather embarrassingly as he fell on his own sword while training. One should never run with sharp objects, after all. Lastly, there was Fangur, the sixth child of Gaul and often referred to as Fangur the Bloody or Fangur the Mad. He was in possession of such an unquenchable thirst for power that even Malefor couldn't entrust him with a single thing. Not that the Dark Master trusted _anyone_ with _anything_ mind you." Danny frowned.

"What happened to him?"

"When Malefor cursed the apes with undeath, Fangur managed to retain enough of his faculties to somehow create a spell, _he_ was a mage you see, and he transformed himself into a lich. His location is unknown but if I had to guess, I would say he is in one of the many ruins that dot Gemvale Island or he is holed up in one of the myriad of shipwrecks that dot the Labrynthian Abyss." Danny nodded.

"How does Geist fit into this?" Goro smiled.

"Do you know how apes crown their King? Through strength and skill of arms certainly, but they must also prove themselves to the other tribes. They must gain a treasure or crest or item of proof from all eight tribes to show that they are worthy of leading the apes as a race."

"Gaul was the last to accomplish this but during his trials he met a young female from the tribe that lives on Shipbreaker Rock. Rumor was they enjoyed each other's company and from their union a child was conceived. A bastard, but nevertheless Gaul's seventh child, a ghost who none but Gaul himself, not even his own children, knew existed." Danny paused as what Goro said sunk in.

"Geist is Gaul's-?" Goro nodded.

"Yes and his real name isn't Geist, if knowledge of him were to surface without him properly trained or prepared, who knows what would happen. However, if he opposes Malefor and his dragons, you can have little doubt they would seek to stop him from becoming the next King of the Apes." Danny sighed.

"Royalty on board. _Exiled_ Royalty no less. So then, I suppose our goals align after all. How do we get him crowned?" Goro sighed.

"He is missing two treasures, and has yet to prove his strength and skill of arms. He can complete either task first but he must retain proof of the deed. He must defeat a foe of great strength and obtain the last two treasures for his claim to be legitimized and for his commands to mean anything to the tribes." Danny nodded.

"Any idea what foe he intends on facing?" Goro nodded sadly.

"Only one reason he would be on Dante's Freezer. He intends to kill Axian." Danny left out a great breath of air.

"Well, shit."


	41. Focus, Focus, Focus

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 38: Focus, Focus, Focus

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The thick wooded areas behind the human city of Blue Waters appeared, to Neal's mind, to be more like a jungle than a forest. There was all manner of trees short and tall, thin and fat, young and old, soft wood and hard wood. There were plants and shrubs of all shapes and sizes. Flowering vines draped themselves from the tree limbs, birds of all different species filled the canopy above with song.

Their's was a small group, Neal and Danny obviously, along with Lyca and Darte, Spyro and Cynder, and Hunter, Skylar, Eve, and Bianca. Together the ten of them walked along the old, worn path through the forest that Alquer said would lead them to the crystal cavern underneath the mountains. Sparx was actually being useful, providing a light as they went along the trail. After a moment, Sparx came floating back with a smile.

"You know? It's kinda nice, not having to be running from or to something. Just kick back, relax, and take a leisurely stroll through the forest." Neal chuckled at that and gave a glance to Spyro who nodded.

"Yeah Sparx; you know if you can forget about the possibility of running into unknown wildlife, possibly carnivorous plants, and let's of course not forget the chance of coming across half-crazed humans bent on revenge for wrongs committed centuries ago." Sparx froze in place, then dropped to eye level with Spyro and gazed at him flatly.

"Why did you have to go and say _THAT_?" Danny chuckled which earned him a glare from Sparx but he kept smiling.

"No need to worry Sparx, Neal and I have concocted these flash bombs for just that reason. These grenades give off a loud noise and a bright flash of light but otherwise don't do any harm. They're meant to stun and scare, not injure or kill." Cynder examined the devices which were hooked onto Neal's and Danny's belts and nodded.

"A good idea. What do we do, however, if they are not easily scared? It may come down to a fight. Eventually." Neal sighed and then drew his sidearm, a Colt M1911 .45 pistol, and hefted it experimentally before placing it back. Danny nodded to Neal before revealing his own choice of sidearms, two Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 revolvers. Neal raised an eyebrow and Sparx caught the glance.

"What was that glance for?" Neal sighed.

"Unlike my brother, I was an A+ student in my history classes. He's using a smaller .38 caliber round while I'm using the bigger .45." Danny shook his head with a chuckle.

"Are you _seriously_ referring to the Philippine Insurrection?" Neal nodded.

"This situation is noticeably similar." Lyca glanced to Neal both curiously and worriedly.

"What situation are you talking about?" Neal started both Danny interrupted him by elbowing him.

"The Philippine Insurrection was the small conflict that occurred after America liberated the island chain from Spanish rule. Rebels, impatient with the delays of promised independence, turned on American soldiers there. According to the tale, the average soldier was armed with a .38 caliber sidearm and it took roughly three, maybe four, shots to kill one enemy. Someone said it was two shots to wound, one to kill, and a final to make sure he stayed down. In answer to this, the military adopted a larger .45 'man stopper' round which is what they wound up sticking with for over half a century. Bottom line is, why waste two or three bullets when one can do the enemy in just as neatly." Hunter 'hmm'ed to himself while Skylar frowned.

"Rather morbid isn't it?" Danny shrugged.

"That's war, in an age of gunpowder and artillery, 'he who has the biggest or the most guns wins'. Of course, in the world my brother and I are from, that concept has changed but yet remains the same." Hunter nodded.

"You're forgetting to factor in the spirit of the soldier fighting, sometimes it is the will to fight, not the weapon, that wins. Still, I would be rather glad if the weapons you humans use _don't_ wind up in the wrong hands or in too plentiful numbers." Neal nodded.

"No need to worry on my end, Skylar is the only person in this world I have given a human weapon." Skylar nodded but then frowned.

"What about that rifle? You remember, the one that you used to rescue me but then it was stolen?" Neal remembered but upon seeing Hunter's expression he nodded.

"It's alright, the rifle had no bullets remaining and the apes under Shadra's command have absolutely no way to reproduce the ammo needed for it. Or the weapon for that matter."

Danny was about to say something when a glint of light further up the trail got his attention. Instinct suddenly took over and he all but tackled Darte, using his weight to pull her down and yelling the one word he knew would get Neal's attention.

"Sniper!" Neal spotted the glint as well and grabbed both Lyca and Skylar and dove forward just as a loud _'crack'_ split the air and a piece of wood from a tree splintered where Darte's head had been moments earlier.

On reflex, Neal drew his sidearm and opened fire where he had seen the glint. Seven .45 caliber rounds pierced the plant life, followed shortly afterward by twelve .38 caliber rounds. The sound of something dropping and hitting the ground was heard as was the sound of something running away. Hunter walked forward cautiously and after a few moments returned with an oddly shaped weapon.

This weapon, though similar to a rifle, had a fairly distinct stock, both brass and wrought iron fittings, a long octagonal barrel with a false or 'flared' muzzle. It had a trigger but the guard was a large brass 'handle' that opened the breech and a manual hammer. Most distinctive was the sights. While it had regular iron sights, it had six brass fittings along the barrel that each held a single glass lens that could be flipped up or down to increase or decrease magnification and the rear 'scope' was a solid brass tube with a small cross at one end and a smaller lens at the opposite.

The cheetah held the weapon up for Neal to examine but he shook his head.

"That's not the rifle that was stolen. That one was a Lee-Enfield rifle, this... this is..." Danny came forward and grimaced.

"It's not any sort of rifle _I'm_ familiar with, but the basic design, it looks like a retrofitted, steampunk version of an old percussion cap rifle." Neal stared for a moment then nodded.

"I see it as well, but the brass fittings, the modifications, the magnification lenses, it's a completely different rifle." Hunter gazed at the two and frowned.

"If neither of you created this weapon, who did?"

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The figure who had shot at Darte slunk through the forest as he approached the village. Passing through he made note that all the people were currently in their homes. However, his destination was different. In the back of the village was an odd structure. It was made of stone, which by itself wasn't the odd part, but what was odd that the structure didn't go up or spread out, but rather, it went down, into the ground.

The building was bare inside with the exception of a large spiral staircase that went down, down, down into the ground. It was down this staircase the man traveled until he reached the bottom, standing in front of two massive bronze doors which came open all at once, seemingly of their own accord.

The man entered the room and stood before a bronze staircase that led to a circular platform that held a giant gold-inlaid bronze ring. As the man lowered himself to one knee, a huge blast of steam shot from hidden vents in the staircase and the ring started turning, like a wheel, a faint light starting from the edge and working its way inside until the ring was filled with the white light. Faintly, the man could see a seated figure in the light. His voice came through, distorted as if speaking through a tube, and echoing as if through a valley.

 _"You have come. What has happened?"_ The man nodded.

"My lord, dragons have entered the forest, accompanied by odd creatures, a wolf, a rabbit, and two cheetahs who walk upright, furthermore, there appear to be two other humans with them." The figure remained motionless but he could sense, if not see, the figure's scowl deepen.

 _"Two other humans... how did the weapon perform?"_ The man dropped his eyes in disgrace.

"I could only fire once, and somehow they knew where I was. The shot that would have killed the dragon in my sights missed, and the two humans somehow had weapons that were able to shred my post to pieces as well as graze me. I... I lost the weapon-" The light flared as the figure rose.

 _"You_ _ **lost**_ _the weapon?! Do you have_ _ **any**_ _idea how much time and energy went into creating it?! Of all the things in life that are wasted every day, time and energy are the two things that I ABSOLUTELY abhor wasting. The materials, the time, the effort, all of it wasted. I sent you into the forest to test the new weapon, to see if it was a viable possibility against our enemies. Now it is lost."_ The man gulped.

"I... I can get it back... the warriors, we can fight them and take not just the weapon but theirs as well. It's a setback but we _can_ recover if we have but the chance." The figure was silent as it returned to a seated position.

 _"For your sake, I hope you're right. Recover the weapon in a timely manner because I can assure you of one thing."_ The figure vanished and was replaced by an hourglass that slowly started draining away.

 _"Time is_ _ **not**_ _on your side. When the sand runs out, I_ _ **will**_ _collect what is owed whether in your possession or not. Do not fail me again. The sands of time and tides of fate tend to frown mightily upon those who waste what little time they are given or let their chances to make an impact on history slip past. We stand at a great pivotal moment in history. The resurgence of the human race depends on whether or not you can take charge when needed and do what needs to be done."_ The man nodded and rose.

"I will not fail you, Lord Chronos." The man turned and departed, his determination and resolve steeled.

Meanwhile in another, more distant, island; the figure known as Lord Chronos cancelled the flow of magic to the device, letting the vision of the room fade to darkness as he rose and stood before a balcony. Every move he made was given voice and substance by the clanking of gears and the clicking of springs. All around him, machines of bronze, large conduits of copper, and clocks of all shapes and sizes worked, heralding the man's affinity and his purpose.

"Whether he succeeds or fails is irrelevant. No matter if it is in this age or the next, or the age after that, humanity _will_ rise again. And when it does happen, the dragons will be unable to use the same tricks against us. All this is a waiting game, waiting for the perfect time, and for me, time is the one thing I have in abundance."

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Neal, Danny and the group managed to make it to the cave without further incident. Still, the attack had left them wary and alert for any further attempts. As the entrance of the cave loomed before them, Neal and Danny both tossed a flashbang into the opening to stun any ambushers within. After the tell-tale flash and bang of the charge, the group entered, ready for a fight.

What they saw however, was enough to even silence Sparx for a few seconds.

A large cavern with seven support pillars greeted them. The walls, the roof, the stalactites and stalagmites, even the floor and the supports were lined with hundreds upon hundreds of crystals of varying sizes, shapes, and colors. Neal turned to Spyro and the others to ask if he was seeing this as well and he stopped in amazement.

Spyro, Cynder, and Darte's scales caught the light from the crystals in such a way that their scales absolutely sparkled with a radiant inner light. Spyro's scales took on a more 'royal' purple, Darte's scales were more 'emerald' green than her normal forest green, and Cynder...

Spyro could only stare at his mate in dumbfounded shock. In the light given off from the crystals, Cynder's scales looked like a mix of ruby and polished ebony. Every individual scale glowed with absolute beauty. When Cynder turned her glance to Spyro, he couldn't help but smile as her jaw dropped a little bit before she regained her composure and started glancing around.

Bianca had already ventured into the center of the cavern, glancing at the crystals here and there, a magically enchanted book similar to Eve's floating along behind her and sketching, writing, and recording everything Bianca did or said and also what crystals she paid extra close attention to.

Hunter found himself examining one of the support columns when he turned around and caught a glimpse of Bianca, her red cloak catching the light perfectly and her smile. He couldn't help but return a smile to her when she approached him.

"It's astounding, isn't it? To think, these crystals are both a physical and magical beauty to behold. I feel amazed that such a treasure went unknown for so long."

"Indeed. This place was always known for its beauty." Bianca turned to Eve who was examining the walls and looking downcast at how her scales didn't catch the light like the others did. A reminder that she was merely a phantom, albeit a non-transparent sort, but still only a fragment of her former self. Skylar broke away from his own examinations and walked over to her.

"How do you know?" Eve chuckled.

"I once visited these caverns, back when dragons and humans were still allies, before the plague. As part of my education in becoming a Forger, I was requested to study human mage apprentices and observe as they found their focus crystals. Once they did, I was to construct tools for them that they felt familiar with to house their crystals. Unfortunately, I could only create, maybe, nine facets before my mana was spent." She sighed softly and glanced at the crystals before her.

"It was that day that my Father started to become concerned that I was not going to be the prodigy that I had hoped to be, and started to have me examined for skill and ability rather than testing me or progressing with my training. I had been certain that dragons had raided the caverns when the plague came. The nobles especially cared for 'pretty things' and would have thought nothing of destroying the cavern both to deny its use to humans and to claim the crystals within." Spyro nodded sadly.

"Thankfully those days are long past." Danny huffed.

"I'm not so sure Spyro." The purple dragon glanced to Neal's brother.

"What do you mean?" Danny eyed him sternly.

"I heard about what happened, how Neal was set onto this path. Even now, with it being so obvious that Neal has the support of the Royals, the Guardians, _and_ the purple dragon, there are those who hate and despise him for no apparent reason. It was one such dragon, Magma, right? It was he who abducted Domino and Rivet." Cynder came next to Spyro and growled angrily.

"Spyro and I are not like that! We care for Neal as friends, as well as Domino and Rivet and we will protect them if we can." Danny nodded.

"I know, I'm not judging you be the same standards. Still, you can't be there all the time and plus, it's difficult to sense someone of evil or harmful intent in a normal situation. It's three times harder when the hostile looks, acts, dresses, and talks like everyone else. How would you protect them from the threat that you cannot detect?" Neal frowned and came forward.

"Danny, there's no call for that. This isn't Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Iran, or Syria. This is a new world. There are dangers, yes, but there are no suicide bombers lurking down every dark street." Danny sighed and nodded.

"I know. I know. Still, you know what they say about being paranoid." Neal nodded.

"You're not paranoid if someone's following you." Danny nodded.

"I was a pilot. I never saw the faces of those I attacked. Every missile I launched, every bomb I dropped, every rocket I fired, I never saw a single face of the people I attacked. I always went by what the boots on the ground told me. If they said 'hostile fire coming from the building with the blue roof', my vision honed in on a blue roof, I locked on, fired away, and that was that. However, it is the threat that is right next to the target that the boots can't see and that is what puts you in danger."

"The same dangers apply here. The enemy doesn't always announce themselves. You could say 'the blue dragon with chipped horns' is hostile but it may be the 'aquamarine dragoness with the polished claws' instead. Small differences often mean the difference between life and death." Neal nodded.

"That's where trusting our friends and allies comes in." Darte nodded and came forward beside Danny.

"Besides, you're hardly alone. Our group may not be as large or close knit as Neal's group but I at least would still leap to your defense should something happen." Danny gave her a half smile and a nod and then turned to one of the pillars and squinted.

"Hey, do you guys see that?" The others started looking around.

"See what?" Danny pointed to the column.

"There. There's a crystal that is glowing a different color than the others... Kind of an... off-blue, like a glacier." Neal shrugged.

"I don't see it. Hey! Maybe this is like KotOR." Danny gave him a flat look.

"I didn't have my nose in video games little brother." The others looked to Neal curiously.

"What's KotOR?" Neal chuckled embarrassingly.

"Knights of the Old Republic. It's an old game where you play as a hero called a Jedi and must fight the evil Sith. In KotOR 2, one of the levels is where the character ventures into a cavern and finds a crystal that is specifically linked to them. That may be the case. That ice blue crystal may be Danny's and his alone." Danny chuckled and then stooped to pull the crystal from its facet.

It was a decent crystal, roughly the size of a Zippo lighter. As soon as it came free of its facet, the ice blue color changed to a warm emerald green. He held it aloft and grinned to Neal.

"Found mine first." Neal chuckled and walked past him. Danny turned and froze at what he saw.

Where previously there had been nothing, now a matched stalagmite and stalactite had grown, their sharp points sparked with what looked to be silver electric arcs. These arcs sparked to each other and also arced to a large clear crystal roughly the size of a two liter bottle seemingly suspended in between them. Neal stepped towards the crystal and held out his hand and the crystal, of it's own accord, broke free of the electric arcs and floated, still sparking, through the air and snugly slipped into Neal's grasp. As he turned to face his brother who was still stunned, the crystal suddenly came alive with a seemingly inner fire that glowed sapphire blue and lent its glow to the crystal. Neal smiled and pointed to the crystal.

"Mine's bigger." Danny groaned at the joke and went back to examining his crystal. As he did this, Eve came forward with a smile on her muzzle.

"Now that you have your crystals, you can use human magic. First though, you both need an object with a facet to house your crystals." Danny stroked his chin thoughtfully before snapping his fingers and creating a large silver ring that he fixed the crystal to and then slipped onto his right hand.

"What do you think? Not too much I hope." Neal shrugged, still in thought, when voices and shouting came from the entrance. Skylar came running in worried and pointed back outside.

"It seems the other humans on the island are here, and they are _not_ friendly."


	42. Escape from the Crystal Cavern

Well, it is late April and things are slowly getting back to normal. Dad's back home, the garden is coming along nicely, and of course let's not forget about the April showers. Well, with all the rain we've gotten, there should be plenty of May flowers.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 39: Escaping the Crystal Cavern

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Neal handed his crystal to Lyca as he and his brother channeled their mana to create two BARs, with ammo, while Hunter and Skylar created a barricade with stones and crystals. Darte and Cynder had used their powers to create a poison fog that was covering the entrance. Spyro and Sparx, meanwhile, continued to gaze around the cave in an effort to find an alternate exit.

As Skylar set down the last crystal, Danny looked out the opening then back to Neal.

"So, you think they still believe we're in here?"

Before Neal could answer, a sharp 'thunk' echoed and both brothers looked down to see the shaft of a long crossbow bolt sticking out of the crystal. Neal gave his brother a sharp look before pulling the pin on another flashbang and throwing it through the poison fog. The grenade exploded, someone shrieked and a series of muttered curses echoed back to them. Neal sighed and raised his voice.

"Who's out there?!"

Another crossbow bolt flew into the cave.

"We don't speak with dragon-loving traitors!" Neal swore.

"What happened between humans and dragons was centuries ago! They've changed!"

"So has humanity! We will not be so gullible as our ancestors were! Maybe _you_ don't care about your ancestors and the pain and fear they went through but _we_ still do! The wishes of Lord Chronos will not go unfulfilled!"

Curious, Neal rallied himself again.

"Who is Lord Chronos?!" The voice came again, this time though, was unsure.

"Lord Chronos is... well... Lord Chronos. He is a master of magic and is said to have learned the secrets to immortality. Some say he was alive when the dragons betrayed us!" Neal, Danny, and the others who heard frowned.

"If that were true, he'd be ancient!" Neal then thought of something.

"Listen, what is it you want?"

"We do not wish to fight other humans, if you turn over the weapon you stole from us, as well as surrender the dragons with you to us, you may leave. Lord Chronos only wishes to see justice brought upon the dragons, that weapon is only the first of many which will allow us to fight on even footing!" Before Neal could reply, Danny took the words right out of his mouth.

"Not no, but _Hell No_! If you think we'll surrender a weapon this Lord Chronos bastard will have you use to harm innocents _and_ our companions on top of that, you're crazy!" A different voice at the entrance exploded in rage.

"How _dare_ you insult Lord Chronos _and_ Master Adelard! That's it! Either you come out here or we're coming in after you!"

At that moment, Darte and Cynder recombined their elements and expelled another massive plume of green poison gas. As the gas settled in place, a volley of crossbow bolts flew into the cave, rattling against the barricade. Danny, after picking his head back up, switched off the safety on the BAR and raked the entrance with machinegun fire. When Danny's clip emptied, Neal opened fire. Skylar was right beside them, adding his rifle to the mix.

Through the wall of bullets, more crossbow bolts flew into the cave. Danny ducked down to change magazines and looked to his brother.

"You know what? I _think_ I made them mad." Neal gave him flat glare.

"You think? I'd Gibbs slap you right now if I could get over there to you!" Skylar looked to the brothers curiously.

"What's a 'Gibbs slap'?" Danny laughed.

"In human culture, a slap to the face is a sign of disrespect. A slap to the back of the head is a wake up call. The Gibbs slap is just a slightly more powerful slap to the back of the head." Skylar nodded.

"Ah, so it's way of getting someone's attention. Like dumping a bucket of water over a sleeping sentry." Neal chuckled.

"Yeah, something like that." Neal clicked the next magazine in, stood up to fire, and then recoiled with a startled yell.

A crossbow bolt had come through the poison cloud, and through sheer dumb luck, struck the muzzle of the weapon, ricocheted down the barrel and slashed across Neal's left hand, causing him to drop the twenty pound weapon on the _opposite_ side of the barricade. As he fell backwards, Lyca was there in an instant and, ripping a piece of fabric from her shirt sleeve, she quickly bound Neal's injured hand. Danny gave a worried glance to his brother who swore as his hand throbbed three beats faster than his heart.

"Shit. Forgot the cardinal rule." Lyca looked to him.

"What was that?" Neal chuckled.

"Incoming fire has the right of way. Ah, shit. Damn, I'm not going to be able to use rifles or any kind of long arm for a while." Eve came up to him and then glanced to the crystal by Lyca.

"You can still create the facet for your focus crystal. Even lacking your rifles, you can still fight." Neal glanced at the crystal and thought for a moment. Danny, overhearing this, smiled.

"Hey, remember that walking stick you made out of an oak branch that fell out of grandpa's tree a few years back? You were always swinging that thing around, shouting spells and saying 'You shall not pass!' and all other corny things?" Neal blushed, obviously embarassed, but nodded. Eve came up with the Book, open to a list of materials and then pointed to one in particular with a claw.

"Here, this is a material once known as 'silver wood'. It is a rare wood from the Granite Cliffs that somehow petrified in a silver ore vein. Silver is, and always has been, a pure metal that easily conducts and channels magical energy. Plus, silver wood also has an added bonus, as the silver ore is unrefined, it often has mythril embedded within and that _amplifies_ the magic more than pure silver." Neal nodded and then visualized the staff in his head.

It was a long rod of silver wood, the silver and mythril veins twisting and coiling like ivy through the grain. The bottom of the staff was capped with with silver cap which was held in place with a bronze 'ring'. The top of the staff had a silver 'bird's nest' of silver and mythril sprouting out from the staff and wrapping and twirling around the focus crystal.

The design set, his magic gave its characteristic flash and there, in Lyca's hands, was his staff. Danny went wide-eyed at the staff and chuckled.

"I should be jealous, but then again, it's not the size the counts but what you do with it." Neal gave his brother a pained, but flat, smile and shook his head at his attempt at juvenile humor.

"Keep telling yourself that brother." Lyca sighed, apparently knowing what sort of humor it was.

"Males." Neal chuckled as he took her hand and she helped him to his feet just as Spyro came running back to them.

"I was able to use my earth element to sound out the cave and there is another cavern that leads to an entirely different system." Sparx came up beside him huffing and puffing and frowned at his his brother.

"Yeah but that was _after_ you nearly dropped a two ton boulder onto my head! You could have _flattened_ me!" Cynder chuckled.

"More than likely Sparx your hard head would have broken the boulder!" Neal glanced to Spyro, nodded and then turned to Danny and Skylar.

"Get back from the entrance! Spyro, can you cause a collapse? We don't want these people following us and potentially destroying this cave." Spyro looked to the entrance.

"Normally it would be easy but as I just regained them, I might need some help." Neal glanced to Eve when he got the purple dragon's meaning and nodded.

"Eve, open the Book to the section about human magic, earth element." The Book dutifully opened, several dozen pages flipped over in rapid succession, until it came to rest at a spell seal that glowed faintly green and looked like a sprout was coming up in the midst of three rocks. The sound of a lock clicking open echoed and the cover page lifted and turned over revealing a list of earth element spells. After skimming through the page he finally settled on one spell in particular.

"Spyro, when I get ready, link your energy with mine and we'll create two barriers, one rising from the ground up, and another coming in from the sides." Spyro nodded to Neal and started channeling his mana, a faint green aura surrounding his body and concentrating around his tail which was slightly raised in preparation to 'slap' the ground and send the energy into the earth.

Neal held his staff before him, the crystal's aura also changing to green and the crystal, as it was suspended within the silver facet, began rotating swiftly. He began to focus on the first barrier, the one rising up from the ground, and tapped the ground three times with the staff's end cap. His voice began to echo as he intoned the spell.

 _"Powers of Earth and Nature, hear my plea and aid me. Create a barrier unbreakable, to protect this hallowed place from those who would seek its destruction!"_ He raised the staff and felt the ground under his feet begin to tremble. Spyro moved his tail and slammed it into the ground just as Neal slammed the end cap back down.

 _"Terraria's Shield,_ _ **RISE**_ _!"_ A large section of the ground rose upwards and impacted the roof, knocking some stalagmites loose and effectively darkening the cave with the exception of the light given from the crystals and Sparx's own glow. Neal then stretched out his hands, and then clasped then together quickly, continueing the spell.

 _"Mineus' Fortress Door,_ _ **CLOSE**_ _!"_ This time two sections of wall emerged and slammed shut like two massive doors. The seam between the two seemed to melt and become one solid wall of stone. Neal sighed and released the flow of magic, his voice returning to normal and then the crystal in the staff started to shine with a muted silver light. This accomplished, he turned to Spyro.

"Now then, where is this way out?" Spyro smiled and nodded towards the back of the cave.

"This way."

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Outside the cave, the man watched in shock with his warriors as the floor rose up to meet the ceiling, trapping the dragons and the other humans inside. He suddenly felt fear as his instincts told him that Lord Chronos' deadline was drawing near. The man grimaced and turned to the warrior closest to him.

"Cassius! Find a way through that wall!" The warrior, Cassius, nodded and set about ordering the men to start chipping away at the entrance. Suddenly, the man froze as he felt a presense and grimaced.

"Lord... Chronos..." He turned to see one of the 'windows' Lord Chronos was able to create in mid air. He gazed at the figure inside which spoke.

 _"Well? Do you have it?"_ The man's frown deepened.

"No, my lord, there has been a... complication. One of the dragons was a purple, like _HIM_ , and one of the other humans... knew magic... _old_ magic..." The figure sighed.

 _"Sounds like more than 'just' a 'complication'. If I didn't know any better, I would think you were trying to phrase you had failed differently..."_ The man stuttered.

"M-My men are working to break down the wall, they have trapped themselves and it's only a matter of time." Though the figure was expressionless, he could tell he was snarling.

 _"_ _ **FOOL**_ _! They would not have created such obstructions unless there was another way out! Have every man possible start digging in order to break through that barrier, if it is not done swiftly and with all haste, well, they will_ _ **not**_ _want to displease me."_ As the man bowed, Cassius returned and he was holding a battered and damaged object in his hand. He nodded to the leader and then bowed to Lord Chronos.

"My lord, we have found what is believed to be one of the weapons one of the humans was using to hold back our advances. It is damaged, somewhat, but I believe it to be easily repaired."

Cassius held the damaged BAR Neal had dropped when he had been wounded before Chronos and the figure practically glowed with excitement.

 _"Yes... I indeed can see this weapon is... rather unique... It's design follows an entirely different track of thought and design than I had used but in a way it is far more... simplistic..."_ Chronos turned to Cassius.

 _"Very well done... Cassius, was it? Yes, very well done indeed. You have succeeded where_ _ **he**_ _has failed."_ At that moment, the BAR levitated up and floated through the window into Chronos' possession. Then, at that moment, the leader went ramrod straight, his breath coming and going in short gasps. His lips turned blue and his breath formed frost in the air even though he had been sweating mere moments ago. His eyes wide, he turned to face Chronos.

"Lord... Chronos... your... word..." The figure waved a hand in dismissal.

 _"My word is good. I said if_ _ **you**_ _recovered the prototype, then you would live. It was this man, Cassius who handed me a weapon._ _ **You**_ _on the other hand, still_ _ **failed**_ _!"_

The man gasped loudly, his cheeks appeared sunken, his hair and beard going grey, his teeth turning brown and falling out, his eyes became grey and dull. Muscle degenerated, he fell to his knees and there was a sickening _crunch_ as his knees shattered. His skin turned dry and leathery and he gave one last glance to Cassius through eyes that could no longer see and then fell, lifeless, before the window Chronos had created.

Cassius watched in muted horror as the man he had called a his leader, his friend, began to age and rapidly deteriorate. When his corpse hit the ground it sounded more like an empty sack of bones being dropped. The leathery corpse then slowly greyed and turned to dust as the wind picked up and scattered the dust through the forest. Cassius then looked back to Chronos who sat upon his throne nonchalantly.

 _"Take heed Cassius, that this is the price for failing me. He had a choice of how to serve me and he chose... poorly. I have lived since the time the dragons betrayed our kind, their crimes and atrocities are_ _ **still**_ _fresh in my mind, even to this day. I have waited too long, have endured too much, to settle for second place or failure. I have had enough of seeing humanity scratch around in the dirt and filth, trying to survive when, if not for the dragons, we would be_ _ **thriving**_ _!"_ Cassius nodded understandingly.

"Then I shall make every effort not to fail you, Lord Chronos." The figure nodded.

 _"See that you don't Cassius. There are not so many humans that everyone can be an effective leader for mankind. Now then, let them go, for now. At the moment, I have much to contemplate..."_ Cassius nodded, still stunned by the exchange.

"We shall do our best, Lord Chronos." The figure nodded.

 _"We shall see..."_

With that, the window blinked out of existance and Cassius turned back to the men with him, all were pale and frightened at what had transpired.

"Return to the village, our job is done."

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After managing to find their way into the seperate cave system, Neal, Spyro, Cynder and the others found themselves in a rather large area that, to Neal's eyes, looked oddly unnatural. As he reached towards one of the pillars in the cave, he felt a strange vibration through the rock. He turned to face his brother when Danny smiled.

"You felt that vibration as well?" Neal nodded and then he felt Eve next to him, however, she was frowning.

"I didn't want to say anything while we were at Blue Waters but it struck me as odd that the town was so small now. When I visited here all that time ago, the city was much larger. It had a harbor at the bottom of the cliffs with an impressive system of lifts going up and down the cliff and the city was much, _much_ larger _._ " Neal nodded.

"What happened?" Eve shook her head.

"I do not know. Any number of things both natural and unnatural could have happened. These pillars however, are made of a very special stone called Founding Bedrock. It is regular bedrock that, through the use of many incantations upon incantations, have become so strong and sturdy that no mortal force known to dragonkind could shatter them. Even a Guardian would have trouble merely _scratching_ the surface. These pillars were once the foundation for a part of the city."

At that moment, Sparx came floating back to the group with Lyca and Skylar who were dragging something behind them.

"Hey guys, look what we found! I think it's some sort of pirate treasure!"

Skylar and Lyca set the large chest down before the group. It was old, yet remarkable well preserved. The lock was rusted and pitted with age, likely rendering it unable to be opened, but that was easily fixed when Danny brought a hammer down on it. Sparx flew close waiting for them to open the lid when Neal raised his hand.

"Wait! Do we even know if that's a genuine treasure chest?" Spyro and Danny looked to him.

"What do you mean?" They both asked in unison.

"I mean, not to go out on a limb here but, this just seems like a perfect time for a unremarkable treasure chest to turn out to be a mimick." Cynder frowned.

"A treasure chest with a monster inside? I've never encountered one but I _have_ heard of stories where mimicks devoured those who foolishly opened them." Sparx suddenly paled and slowly flew away from the chest.

"L-Let's open this thing up from a distance then." Danny sighed and with a boot kicked the lid open...

Revealing a pile of dusty, decaying robes and an ancient, leather-bound book. Danny gave his brother a look and Sparx flew at Neal angrily.

 _"What did you have to say it was a mimick for?!"_ Neal shrugged.

"I just thought it seemed a little... _convenient_ for a treasure chest to suddenly appear right here." Eve stepped towards the chest and examined the book and gasped in shock.

"This book... it's..." Neal glanced and saw the seal on the cover and back to Eve.

"That seal looks like a varient of the seal on the Book." Eve nodded.

"It's the seal of Archmage Gartome... this is... _was_... his personal memoires... the last record... of the final days of conflict between humans and dragons before..." Danny and Neal looked to her.

"Before...?" Eve sighed, tears forming in her eyes.

"Before he succumbed to the plague..."


	43. The Frozen Spire

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 40: The Frozen Spire

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Danny clenched his jaw at the sound as yet another piece of sheet ice rasped along the side of the _Explorer_. Looking around, his companions as well as the humans who now served as his crew had similar expressions. One man Danny recognized as Calleigh, the aft lookout, grabbing a plate of food and sitting down for a peaceful meal before returning to his post. He gave a half grimace when the noise reached him and he gave a sigh but then started eating.

After finding the journal of Gartome and making it back to Blue Waters, several humans, including a master mage named Mercer, had gotten their kit together and had announced that they would be assisting the two Forgers. The _Guardian_ and the _Explorer_ sailed in close formation of one another for a day or two but then just this morning, Danny sent a message over saying that he had to part ways with his brother.

Geist and Goro had both come to Danny urging him to make the Frozen Spire, specifically the ape settlement of Glacier Gate, their next stop before continuing on to rejoin Neal and face Axian's forces. Upon first encountering sheet ice, Danny reinforced the bow of the ship with the help of Mercer and Eve and also started training the human crew how to control the ship so that Eve could take a break and focus her energy elsewhere from time to time.

Speaking of which, he felt a presense near him and glanced to see Eve's Book beside him tapping urgently.

 _'The sheet ice is becoming thicker. Goro says the further south we go the thicker it will get.'_ Danny nodded and stared at his plate.

"Our current speed and heading?" The quill stilled for a moment, then wrote again.

 _'Heading is true East, speed is... twenty-three knots.'_ Danny nodded.

"Keep our current heading, reduce the engine gear to two-thirds, make revolutions for fifteen knots. Also, let's see if we can't somehow reduce the smoke plume from the exhaust stack, if we're going to be passing anywhere near Dante's Freezer, I don't want a large black cloud heralding our position." He then looked about and spotted the two men he was looking for.

"Kochler, Petro, when you're finished, take up secondary watch duty on the bridge. If the ice is getting thicker, the chance we'll run into icebergs or growlers will be higher as well. If you see one, call it out and we'll see if we can either evade it or destroy it." He then looked around the galley to the rest of the human crew who were currently off duty.

"Alright everyone, we're in an ice pack and in the enemy's backyard. From here on out, those on lookout duty call out anything that looks remotely suspicious." At that moment, a soft sneeze came from behind him and Danny turned to see Darte enter the galley.

"Darte? You okay?" Darte sighed and nodded.

"It's this blasted cold, it's making me sneeze. On top of that, it seems like the steam heaters in the crew deck have gone out." Danny frowned.

"Eve, did you detect this?" The Book floated for a moment and then dipped as if to say 'yes'.

 _'I sensed something this morning when we broke formation with the_ Guardian _but was too preoccupied with the navigation to do a thorough check. I can now detect a broken steam pipe on the crew deck, compartment nine, aft section. It is an unmanned area of the ship so there was no one there to inform me that there had been a malfunction.'_ Danny nodded.

"Alright then, seal off the lines after compartment eight and I'll see what I can do about it later. Darte, until I get it fixed, you can use my cabin. We're at a hightened alert so unless it is critical to the survival of the ship it will have to wait until we either dock or return to home port." Darte nodded her thanks and walked through the hatch leading to the forward cabins.

What Danny said had been true as most of the crew, with the exception of those who were below studying the engines, had cabins in the forward part of the ship there was no need to repair a burst line in the aft of the ship meant exclusively for heating the aft cabins (which, again, no one used). Still, he added the repair to the list of 'To Do' in his mind.

He also had a physical list in his pocket which looked something like this:

1.) Water line in the galley had burst due to the cold. (Checked, repaired, working normally.)

2.) Watertight door separating compartments three and four had gotten stuck half closed.

3.) Hydraulic line for turret X had burst and was in need of repair.

4.) Elevation gear for turret B had sheared off and dropped the gun barrel onto the deck with enough force to punch a hole through the wood and exposing the ship armory and turret magazine to the elements.

5.) Hole in Armory roof. (See number 4 on list.)

6.) Hydraulic fluid from turret X has created an ice slick along the deck. (Delegated to crewmen Pence, Ellek, and Laene.

7.) At least three toilets have gotten blocked due to frozen water lines (and lack of knowledge of indoor plumbing among crew). (Water lines repaired, assigned crewman Shanes to clean toilets as punishment for fighting on deck and for depth charging what looked (vaguely) to be a large squid.)

8.) Remind self to think back on how to cook calamari...

Taking the list from his pocket and reviewing it again he sighed and then rose to go below and check on the watertight door. As he passed the ship's head (restroom), he heard Shanes uttering vehemont swears as he worked to clean the toilets and then a cold breeze drifted past him from the open armory door where snow was now piling in the middle of the floor.

 _(At least this is happening now and now in the midst of battle or an emergency.)_

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(a few hours later...)

Danny entered his cabin with a tired sigh. Things had, for lack of a better term, had been an absolute clusterfuck. No, it had been worse than that it had been absolutely FUBAR.

Fixing that one watertight door had set off a chain reaction of hydraulic failures throughout the entire deck sending some watertight doors crashing down completely and others screeching to a halt either at the quarter or halfway points. It was apparent to him that several hydraulic lines were compromised from the cold and were accidents waiting to happen. On top of that, a water line in compartment six burst while he was there, drenching him in super cold water, and half flooding the compartment.

As if to further complicate the situation, when Eve had started to down gear the engines for fifteen knots, engine two suddenly siezed, revealing that lubricating oil had (somehow) froze.

The ship was now cutting through the ice field on one engine, making a speed of eleven knots, and (with the inability to minimize the smoke plume) a giant cloud of smoke reminiscent of a thundercloud hanging over the ship. He was going to be spending the next few days going from deck to deck checking, repairing, and reinforcing those hydraulic lines, water lines, and steam pipes. However, he had already exhausted his mana and was looking forward to a quick power nap before taking his scheduled watch post.

No sooner had he undressed and flopped back onto the bed then he heard a strange sound and felt a lump under his covers shift. He turned and froze in shock as the covers fell off the bed revealing Darte, sprawled out on the bed, belly up, wings fully extended, and claws in the air. How he had not seen her when he entered crossed his mind but then again his mind was foggy with exhaustion and she had been very still until he flopped down next to her.

Immediately he blushed and rose from the bed just as Darte cracked an eyelid and rolled over to gaze at him.

"Darte, I'm sorry, I forgot you were up here." Darte quickly shook her head.

"No it's my fault, I only came up here to warm up and then I just suddenly fell asleep as soon as I pulled these bed covers around me. I really didn't realize how cold I was until I pulled these heavy bed covers over me. The warmth was enough to actually lull me to sleep. That, and the familiarity of your scent." Danny cocked an eyebrow at that and gave her a half smile.

"My... scent?" She took a calming breath, smiled, and then nodded.

"Even now your scent is extremely calming to me." Danny looked at her curiously.

"Calming? To what sort of an extent?" Darte nodded and began explaining.

"Poison dragons' senses of smell are even more adept than other dragons, we have to be to recognize different poisons and toxins that we deal with on a semi-daily basis. Some scents we can easily equate to danger, others however, we can imprint upon ourselves as calming or relaxing." Danny chuckled for a moment and then gazed at her.

"That's a relief, I was afraid you were about to say that I stunk like a wet ape or something." Darte again answered in negative.

"Trust me, nothing could smell worse than wet ape, although wet dog is a fairly close match. No, it's just, when I'm around or near you, and I can sense you, I feel... relieved; safe. I admire and respect you. You are brilliant, courageous, kind, caring. I could not ask for a better friend. However... there's something else between us... something... more..." Danny nodded but then got a mischievious look in his eyes.

"Let me guess then, you want to be 'more than _just_ friends', right?" Darte froze for a moment but then turned away, not understanding the tone of voice. Danny saw this and, smiling, closed with her, placing his right hand under her jaw and stroking her neck with his left hand. She immediately looked confused but then Danny gave her a kiss on the snout and smiled.

"I've been thinking alot these past few days and I've felt the same feelings towards you. To be honest, when that attacker was aiming at you that day on Blue Waters, my heart stopped for a split second. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. Now that we're here, doing what we're doing, I truly do feel the same way about you." Darte smiled and returned the kiss, but then worry flashed across her face.

"Mother, I have no doubt she planned this... or at least had some idea about this..." Danny shrugged nonchalantly.

"So what? Let her make whatever plans or ideas she wants, it won't change the fact that I'm in love with _you_. And if _anyone_ tries to harm you or come between us, I'll give them a fight that'll be one for the history books." Darte blushed at that and nodded. Then, she gained an expression that made Danny's heart skip a beat and she gave him a straight look and smiled.

"You know what? I suddenly feel colder for some reason. Why don't we rest together then, nothing more, just bask in each other's presense? Don't worry, I'll make sure you're nice and safe." The last she said and then stuck her tongue out playfully. Danny smiled and nodded, all previous reservations gone, and lay down beside her.

"I thought you'd never ask." As soon as he was relaxed, Darte snuggled up against him and lowered one of her wings over him as another cover and gave him a long, drawn out kiss.

Shortly thereafter, Danny and Darte were awoken by a sharp rapping sound on the hatch. Without preamble, the door flew open revealing Goro who kept a straight face despite the sight before him and nodded to Danny.

"We've managed to avoid Dante's Freezer and are now preparing to dock at the Spire. However, I must advise the two of you to be on your guard. My tribe, while not as aggressive as others, still has a dislike for dragons. Be prepared to answer a challenge, especially if Macai is the one who issues it." Danny looked to him curiously.

"Macai?" Goro nodded.

"One of my two great-grandsons, the children of Ivahn, both of whom assist him by handling different duties that he, as village chieftain, may not have as much time for. The younger of the two, Jacai, is more of a 'diplomatic' type. If someone breaks a law or if someone is needed to meet with another tribe, he oversees it."

"Macai, the elder brother; on the other hand, oversees the village defences and the warriors. In a sense he has less responsibility than Jacai but in a different sense, the jobs he does require him to be more... _difficult_... than he normally is." Danny chuckled at that and nodded.

"I sense a grandfatherly story about how the two brothers were always getting into trouble somehow." Goro let out a loud guffaw and nodded.

"Indeed, they were a handful growing up. Ivahn, when he was younger, had pitch black fur yet after enduring several of those boys' antics, his fur turned completely white. I _could_ tell you stories that would make you cringe in either pain or sympathy." Goro then gave a wicked smile as he half-turned out the door and started to leave.

"However, I _won't_. At least, not until Macai has made his challenge." Danny sighed.

"Why challenge _me_?" Goro stopped and turned back with a shrug.

"Well, challenges are issued between the leaders of groups. Macai is the leader of the Spire's warriors, you are the leader of this motley group. He cannot challenge me because I am of the same tribe as he, plus, he knows he wouldn't stand a chance against me. He dare not challenge Geist because he is undergoing the Trials and has likely already been challenged and has passed. Bianca is of a different species, and a magic user besides; and Darte, well, it wouldn't be considered a 'fair' challenge. For _her_." Danny nodded understandingly.

"So, basically he's figuring me of how much of a threat or ally I'd be?" Goro gave a short nod and turned back to leave again.

"He's also figuring out just how far to push you, gauging your temper and patience before allowing you to meet with Jacai and Ivahn. Too short and you're more liability than ally. Too much and you're indecisive, or cowardly." Danny huffed.

"Don't worry, when the shit hits the fan, I'll let him know right quick." Goro gave a dismissive wave of his hand and continued walking away, leaving Danny and Darte alone to extricate themselves from the bed and he pulled on another set of clothes, these were lined to protect him from cold.

As the two came up onto the deck, they saw a stretch of snow covered shoreline with a trail that seemed to snake its way up to a cave entrance at the base of the large mountain that lent its name to the island. Then, in the distance, Danny saw what looked to be a wall made up of large logs and metal fittings. As he examined this sight, Geist came up beside him with a small smile on his face.

"Nice to see the Spire again. After my little 'excursion' to Dante's Freezer, wasn't so sure I was going to ever lay eyes on it, or any other ape settlement for that matter, ever again." Danny looked it over and scratched his neck absently.

"Is it back there? Where the wall is?" Geist chuckled.

"No, that's a façade. After regaining our freedom from Malefor's curse, several apes feared the dragons would seek reprisals against us. True while some dragons did the majority of them apparently decided we weren't worth the effort so left us alone. Still, the apes who still feared attack convinced the elders to use the ruins of the old village as a distraction while moving the actual village into the Spire." Danny nodded.

"Smart move. However, what was the plan if an earth or ice dragon attacked?" There was a cough from below.

"We let 'em know that they don't know these caves as well as _we_ do!"

Everyone looked down to see a small group of about twelve apes led by a larger one who was eyeing Danny warily. Then, a chuckle echoed and Danny saw Goro come onto the deck.

"Jacai! Great to see you boy!" Jacai looked to Goro and he gave a wide grin.

"Grandfather! What are you doing here?" Goro gave another chuckle then, with all the spry of someone half his age, leapt over the side onto the shore and embraced his great grandson.

"As to my purpose here, I'm helping Geist here complete his trials. Also, as for the rest, I am also aiding them in the fight against Axian." Jacai turned to eye Danny and Darte, his eyes narrowed on her and he huffed but then shrugged.

"You always were the most outspoken of our family. Father said that one day you would either find yourself allied with a dragon or facing off against one. But... what's that thing beside the lizard?" Goro smiled, ignoring the huff of indignation from Darte.

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors by now about a new species in the world that has an almost forgotten magical ability? This is Daniel Foster, one of two human brothers who were dragged into our world and they are also the only two Forgers in the world." Upon hearing this, Jacai nodded.

"I see. So, the rumors we heard about Darkfort were true then?" Goro nodded.

"Indeed. Now then, as for the reason for our arrival, Danny needs help to get onto Dante's Freezer and help his brother kill Axian and save his family." Jacai then faced Danny and eyed him sharply.

"A human, along with a _dragon_ , asking apes for assistance? Grandfather, how do you think Macai, let alone the village, will react when they learn this?"

"Rather poorly, I would imagine." The old ape replied flatly. He then sighed and shook his head.

"Regardless, it can't be helped. I know that you, your brother, and your father have the final say in matters such as these. Therefore, Danny will accept any challenge your brother poses to him if it proves his intentions." Jacai glanced between them and placed a hand on his chin.

"Any challenge, eh? Alright then, if you are as great a warrior as Grandfather says you are, then you obviously have no objections to a fight? Before you agree, the ape definition of 'fight' is different from the 'dragon' version. A 'dragon' fight is a sparring match, an 'ape' fight is a full on, no holes barred, knockout, drag out brawl. In some cases, scars, injuries, maiming, or even death may occur." Danny paled at that but then steadied himself and nodded.

"If I have to fight Macai, then I shall." Jacai nodded and turned to Goro.

"I'll send word to Macai. Fair warning though, Danny, was it? Macai is _not_ like any other ape you may have seen before. While most prefer hand to hand or sword and shield, he uses an 'all or nothing' approach." Danny sighed.

"Let me guess, he uses a zweihander? Uh, a two-handed sword?" The last he added upon seeing Jacai's confusion. Then inwardly groaned when he saw Jacai nod.

"You guessed it. He uses a sword that, if any other ape tried to lift it, the weight alone would likely dislocate his shoulders."

"Great, a buster sword." Jacai gave him a curious glance again and Danny nodded.

"Reference from my world, sorry." Jacai shrugged and then turned to one of the other apes with him, gave a quick nod, and that sent the ape off at a run. He then faced Danny, serious expression gone and eyes filled with an inner light that a curiousity and also a wish to learn anything and everything he could.

"While we wait for Macai to come down here with his officers, you should decide what approach you would like to take." Danny nodded but inwardly sighed.

 _(Neal was the one in our family who did the blasted medival thing. The closest I ever gt to wielding a sword was the ceremonial Marine Corps saber... Yeah, I swung it around a few times like an idiot but never actually_ _ **fought**_ _with a sword before... It just means I'll have to fight smarter, not harder.)_

Thinking back, Danny remembered hearing that a large zweihander required great strength to wield and if swung in haste, left the wielder open to attack. However, if what Goro had told him was even half true, then Macai wouldn't likely leave such an opening.

At that moment, he Book floated down beside him with the design of the Marine Corps saber on the page. Danny nodded but then shook his head.

"A nice thought but even if I made the saber with high carbon steel it wouldn't be able to block. That zweihander would snap it like a twig. If only there was a way to make a blade stronger but without making it heavier..."

The quill appeared and started writing on its own. Danny looked at the design Eve was creating and he started to smile.

"Yes, I think that will do it."

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Okay guys sorry to make you all wait so long but I have had a rather trying time since the last update. I won't go into details and I hope you don't mind this chapter just being the build-up to the duel between Danny and Macai.

It'll take some time to pull everything together but I hope the end result is up to ya'lls expectations.


	44. Duel at Shearpoint Shore

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

 _(that and an absolute mountain of notebooks with various ideas, scenarios, character growth lessons, possible future stories, dead end trails, and side notes and afterthoughts for the aforementioned notes and at least three variations of each and every scenario)_

That combined with everyday life for me has got me rather exhausted both physically and mentally. I suddenly have a craving for spicy boiled peanuts, and an ice cold cherry Pepsi.

Blast it, rambling again, here's the chapter while I go fix me something to eat so I can recharge.

Chapter 41: Duel at the Shearpoint Shoreline

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The village that was the home of the apes who lived on the Spire was, for all intents and purposes, a rather impressive place to behold. It had basically everything any other village would need. The island was located along the migratory routes of several flying and sea going animals so hunting was good. The vegetables grown here were a little tough, but hardy, if you knew how to cook them _just_ right. Fishing was also good, if you could punch through the ice that covered the best spots.

All in all, it was a nice place to live if you didn't mind a little cold weather.

In the back of the village, in the back of a longhouse that was half inside the cave system inside the mountain and half outside resting on a cliff, sat a large ape clad in armor. He was easily the largest ape in the village, the strongest as well. However, he would _never_ raise a hand or sword against a fellow tribe member. Before the ape was a roaring fire that staved off the bitter cold of the winds on this side of the mountain. Beyond him was a large opening that led to a covered arena situated on the cliff overlooking the ocean.

The sound of clashing metal and bestial grunts, growls, shrieks, and roars came through as the combatants in the arena trained with actual weapons. Today was their coming of age ceremony, when apes who wished to join the guards would face each other in mock duels but with actual weapons to demonstrate all they have learned in the past months.

Naturally they would all join, but the matches were just to determine who was better suited to what position.

Macai allowed himself to break his normal stoicism with a small smile. This year's groups were among some of the best warriors he had ever seen and had the joy of teaching. The two who were sparring now, Balix and his brother Qualo, were evenly matched and used vastly different combat styles. Balix, like Macai, favored a large sword that was almost impossible to block while Qualo favored wielding twin swords that were just as difficult to anticipate where the next attack would come from.

As the match drew in on the half hour mark, the door to the longhouse opened and a small ape came through and bowed slightly to Macai and whispered something to him. Immediately Macai growled low in his throat and rose. Teeth bared in a vicious snarl he stomped over to a nearby weapon rack and grabbed the hilt of the only weapon on the rack, his personal weapon: Foesbane.

It was a massive two-handed sword that was a little taller than him and bore serrations along the lower third of the blade which was as wide as a mage's spellbook. It had no crossguard, the tip of the sword, rather than coming to a point, was flared outwards at the edge and rounded like a battleaxe at the top. The weapon was also double edged and a heavy mace head shaped pommel that also served as a counter balance. He slung the sword over his back and glanced over his shoulder.

"You two continue the match! I'll be back after I decide whether or not to crack some skulls!" The warriors, who had stopped seeing their mentor rise, gave nods and continued the match under the eyes of Macai's second in command.

Once he was outside, Macai turned to the ape who had brought him the news.

"So, where are they now?" The ape pointed towards the tunnel that led down to the old village.

"They're on the shore, next to the old wall. Your brother, Lord Jacai, as well as your grandfather, Lord Goro, are there as well. It was Lord Goro and Pilgrim Geist who brought them here. For what though I couldn't understand." Macai relaxed somewhat, hearing that his brother who, though more a lore keeper than a warrior, could hold his own as well as the presence of his grandfather _and_ Geist.

"My fears are reduced, but not dispelled. What does my brother and grandfather wish of me to do?" The small ape smiled.

"Challenge the human, my Lord. He is the so-called 'leader' of their little band of misfits. Only by your immeasurable strength and your brother's wisdom can we truly learn his and his groups intentions on our isle." Macai gave a bark of laughter that momentarily echoed throughout the cave before returning to a calm stoicism.

"You've been hanging around my brother too much." The ape blushed slightly and gave a nod before following after Macai. Slowly, a few apes followed them, wondering what was going on.

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Danny had been spending the time practicing on several targets he had created. Though his strength, Goro informed him, was still well below that of Macai, he did have the advantage of being smaller and somewhat quicker. Having tossed out any idea of matching strength with strength, he settled on a simple style that a human on his crew who used a sword called 'Resiliance'.

He had decided on using the Schiavona, a sword similar to a saber like he had in the Corps, but it had a thicker and longer blade and a stronger hand guard. Plus, on advice from Neal who had wrote him in the Book, he used the last reserves of titanium they shared and had created the sword. The look of astonishment on the faces of the apes, including Jacai, had been absolutely priceless, as was their excitement upon seeing the silvery glow of the titanium blade.

Apparently, titanium was a stronger metal for a blade than he had previously thought. The wood and steel targets he was practicing on fell easily enough, however, he didn't let these practice wins dilude him. Whereas he was, essentially, just starting re-learning the sword, Macai had long since become a master.

He had just stopped long enough to rest when a loud horn echoed from the opening into the mountain. All eyes on the shore turned upwards and Danny felt his stomach drop when he saw an ape, even bigger than Jacai, and clad in armor that was part chain mail, part scale mail, and part plate. Still, what got Danny's attention wasn't the armor.

It was the large buster sword strapped to his back.

Macai came towards the group and stopped as he saw Jacai, Goro and Geist. Then he faced Danny.

"So, you're the cause for the disturbance on our isle. I must admit, I'd heard tales of what happened at Darkfort. To be honest, I was expecting someone... taller." Danny chuckled.

"Which version did you hear? The one about the ten foot tall giant who smote his foes with a single strike and whose very glare sent Axian retreating with his tail between his legs? Or was it the one about the giant whose very breath blew away all opposition and could shoot lightning from his ass?" Goro choked when he heard that and Macai stared at him, and then laughed.

"I haven't heard _those_ particular versions but I have to admit they come pretty close. You at least have a decent sense of humor and sharp wit. I can respect that, however, as you may have surmised from the sword on my back, I'm not here to test your wits. That's my brother's job. I'm here to see how much of an ally you will be. You wish to help Geist slay Axian? Prove you have the strength to face him. If you can overcome me, you _might_ stand a chance against Axian when he's in his lair and has the advantage." Danny nodded and readied the Schiavona.

"Wasn't exactly anticipating a buster sword, but then again, this world often surpasses and eclipses my expectations." Macai chuckled and then shifted into a fighting stance.

"Glad to measure up, now then, _on guard!_ "

At that last, he lunged at Danny, swinging his sword in a large horizontal arc. Thinking quickly, Danny leapt back just as the blade passed in front of him. Macai then reversed the swing and took a step. This time, Danny brough up his sword and, with a quick deflection, managed to knock the blade away.

Macai followed through with yet another attack however, and this time as Danny dodged, the sword cleaved easily through a large snow covered tree trunk. As the top half fell away, Danny eyed Jacai sharply.

"You could have taken my head off with that swing!" Jacai chuckled.

"That's the idea. If you are a worthy one to follow, you can and will best me. If not, then this isle shall be your grave." Danny heard Darte growl deeply and move to intervene but Goro held up a hand to stop her.

"To interfere now Darte is to cost not only your life but his. Have more confidance in your champion, he will not fail so easily." Danny, given confidance by the words, ducked another wide swing from Macai and then went on the offensive, using the weight of Macai's sword against him to rush in and ram Macai in the chest with a shoulder tackle. He then retreated as Macai swung the sword in an effort to catch him with the mace head pommel, reversed his movement and brought the sword down for what would have been a killing blow-

-had Macai not smirked and then skillfully twisted his blade around to block the attack with a rather deep part of the serrations. Grinning, he gave the blade another twist and Danny watched in horror as the top four inches of his blade snapped clean off and clattered to the ground. Macai saw his expression, chuckled and explained.

"My sword is called Foesbane for a reason. It was specially designed, forged, and crafted to my exact desires and fighting style. It had to be large and intimidating but not unwieldy, well balanced, multipurpose, and also, with the lack of a guard, had to have some sort of counter." Danny grimaced and nodded.

"Adding a sword breaker blade disguised as regular serrations, I must admit, it's clever. If my brother were here he'd likely be as impressed as I am, however-" Danny reached down and picked up the broken edge and then, with a burst of light, turned the broken end into a dagger.

"Never tell my brother this but, to be honest, I prefered fighting like this." Macai nodded.

"A short sword and dagger, eh? Hah! I _am_ impressed. However, you could create a hundred blades and you _still_ would not be able to touch me." Danny nodded then smiled.

"By the way, we never truly clarified it. Is this to the death or until first blood?" Macai nodded approvingly.

"Duels like this are unto first blood. If you had disgraced my honor or insulted my clan, it would be to the death." Danny nodded.

"Thanks for explaining, now then, ready for round two?" Macai smiled.

"Always."

The two warriors reassumed ready positions and charged forth again. This time however, Danny didn't wait to go on the defensive, he went right into it swinging the short sword around rapidly. Macai blocked the attacks easily and riposted, knocking Danny back but failing to draw blood. He then lunged, attempting a coup de grace, but Danny saw the movement and rolled to safety. He then started retreatng again, forcing his opponent to pursue him. Slowly, Macai's face took on a red color.

He was getting angry.

Danny then surprised the ape commander by lunging forward into another series of attacks. Macai however, was quick to block each and every one of his attacks. Eventually though he frowned.

"You were fighting so smartly before, what changed- Huh?!" He froze as he felt a cold tip press into his belly and looked down to see the small dagger held just a little ways away. The tip had pricked him and had drawn blood. Danny smiled.

"You would have won in a long drawn out fight so I thought to end it quickly. There's an old saying among humans: move you right hand fast enough and no one will notice your left hand. You were so busy blocking the sword you forgot about the dagger in the heat of the moment."

Macai stared at Danny for a moment, expression thunderstruck, and then slowly he grinned and started to laugh. Behind the two duelists, the apes started whooping and raising a ruckus; Goro, Jacai, and Geist burst out with thunderous laughter and Darte positively beamed at Danny and nodded to him in approval.

Macai then slung his blade back over his back and faced Jacai and the others.

"He passes my test! He and all with him are welcome!" He looked back to Danny.

"Let me be the first to, officially, welcome you to the Spire."

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As Danny was finishing his test on the Spire, Neal and the others were just setting foot on Dante's Freezer. He had set aside the uniform in favor of a heavy, chainmail backed overcoat and had belted his pistol and a sword onto the belt and slung his rifle over his shoulder. He gazed around at the ruins of buildings, weapons, and frozen skeletons and sighed. In the distance, past a ruined fortress, he saw another castle that looked as if it was constructed out of ice but was, as of yet, incomplete. He heard and growl and glanced to Cynder standing beside him.

"There's Axian's castle. Hopefully Danny will arrive before too long." Neal nodded as Spyro and Sparx looked around.

"You know guys, I don't think we've been on this part of the Freezer before." Spyro nodded that he too didn't recognize the surroundings and at that a human with them came forward.

"That's because this is the _western_ side of the island. This area was home to another human colony." Sparx grimaced.

"Wiped out by the plague, right?" The man shook his head.

"No, these are the ruins of Arcticoz. It was a fortress abandoned during a period we humans know as the Silver Age, when we had just started exploring beyond our islands. This fortress was abandoned when we first allied with the dragons." Sparx nodded.

"Okay, I know I'm going to regret asking but why abandon it?" The man shrugged.

"Don't know. The reasons it was abandoned were lost when the Plague struck." SPARC facepalmed himself as others chuckled.

"I had to ask. I just HAD to ask!"


	45. The Sealed Chamber of Arcticoz

Alright everyone! I am back, and I. AM. SO. _HYPED!_ Not only is September knocking on the door but so is the release date for Valkyria Chronicles 4, and right after that is Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and then in November comes the one game this year I am most anxiously awaiting, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy!

Anyway, I figured I'd best get back to typing and see if I can get back into the groove.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 42: The Sealed Chamber of Arcticoz

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Neal and the others slowly combed through the ruins of Arcticoz. After mooring the _Guardian_ to an old stone pier, all but a skeleton crew had disembarked to explore the surrounding area. The humans with them were eagerly looking over the ruins as if they were rediscovering something incredible, which, to be honest, they were. Chief among the discoveries was an ancient smithy where they found weapons, armor, tools and equipment.

It was all severely degraded but according to a scholar with the group, the weapons and armor that had been made in the Silver Age was generally regarded as superior to almost anything produced by mankind after the fort was abandoned and the 'end' of the Age. After alliances with the dragons were signed, humans kept heavy plate around as ceremonial and focused more on light and medium armors and the style of weapons was also adjusted.

Early in the post-Silver Age era, humans apparently wanted to think only the best of their dragon allies.

Other discoveries included a remarkably intact public records building, a snow-covered library, and the remains of a prison.

It had been Neal's idea to wait until Danny regrouped with them, having been informed via Eve's Book that Macai had accepted him and at that moment was hearing the group out and coming up with a plan for what to do next. Therefore, the group decided to take cover in the old records building and the more academically minded went to work examining what records were intact enough to be legible.

Among these, surprisingly, was Eve who expressed a keen interest in some records of metal crafting and smithwork. All the while, her enchanted Book scribbled down everything she read and deemed worthy of recording. Spyro, Cynder, and the other dragons occupied their time by glancing around and listening to what was found. Sparx actually helped by giving a glow to read by. After a while, one scholar let out a cheer and came hurrying to Neal and the others.

"Take a look at this! This details the events in which the citizens of Arcticoz first found out the existance of dragons! Here, according to this, a fishing boat found an injured sea dragon tangled in a net used for ice fishing! The dragon was cut free and later returned with an entire group of sea dragons, his family, who thanked them for freeing the young one and then started helping the settlement because they had been struggling to find enough fish to feed everyone."

Neal glanced around the ruins and inwardly sighed, for some reason, every moment delayed made him want to clench his teeth tighter and tighter. He knew that, in that castle, Axian was likely planning or plotting something or perhaps the trap was already set and he was waiting for someone to blunder into it. As he rose, he walked towards Terra and the others keeping watch.

"I know it doesn't need to be said but I can't help but feel like the bastard already knows we're here. Until Danny arrives, let's keep vigilant watch and make sure no one travels too far from the camp or the ship." Terra wordlessly nodded and gazed up at the fortress until a yell caught her attention.

Nearby where a member of the crew had been standing, now there was a massive hole in the ice and snow and people were laughing and joking around while at the same time a blue streak clould be heard coming from withing the hole. Curiousity peaked, Neal walked over and gazed down into the hole. However, he was completely caught by surprise when someone else came up and asked a question that left him speechless.

"Where's Waldo?" He turned to the speaker of the voice and saw another human named Wade looking at someone else who then pointed down into the hole. Wade then peered over the edge and smiled.

"You okay down there Waldo?" There was a faint 'Yeah, I'm fine.' from down below but really no one could see a thing. Neal saw Sparx and Spyro nearby and motioned them over.

"Sparx, could you zip down there and shine a light on Waldo? We need to figure out how to get him out of there and we can't see a thing." Sparx looked down the hole and gulped.

"Are we sure he's alone down there?" Spyro sighed and then jumped down the hole, landing softly on the ground and then breathed a ball of flame that briefly immuminated the area.

"Nothing down here but us Sparx, plus I think I saw a door to a chamber of some sort." One of the other humans nodded.

"These ruins are ancient. There's no telling exactly what is down there." Sparx shuddered as he recalled something.

"Spyro, buddy, are you forgetting what we encountered here last time? You know, back when we were here to rescue Volteer?" The human, Jone, looked to him.

"What did you encounter?" Sparx gave him a flat look.

"Apes, monsters, and undead." Jone looked back down the hole.

"Waldo, look out for anything hiding in the shadows down there!" There was a sharp whistle suddenly and some torches blazed to life.

"Wade! Get down here I found something!" Wade looked to Neal who shrugged.

"Not like we have anything better to do. Besides, for all we know it might be a secret passage that leads right to Axian's fortress."

Wade nodded and ran off, momentarily returning with a rope ladder from the _Guardian_. He hurriedly secured it to some rocks near the edge and then rolled the ladder down into the hole. As soon as Waldo nodded that his side was secured, the group started slowly descending the ladder.

At the bottom of the hole, Neal found a large door seemingly made of a blueish tinted crystalline ice. The door was set into a silver arc that was inlaid with with runes that started glowing a dull red when the torches closest to them were lit. As Neal looked to the door, he noticed Wade hastily scribbling down the runes in his notebook.

"Anything interesting?" Wade grimaced but nodded.

"These runes date from the last part of the Silver Age. I'm not the scholar my Father is but what few I can make out... eh... 'Beyond this chamber...' ah... 'Greatest Discovery'... 'Arcane Weaponry'... uh... 'the Astral Sword'... Hmm, that's all I can make out; I'll have to make a rubbing of these runes and see my Father about them to get a better translation." At that moment, Waldo whistled.

"If this chamber holds a 'great discovery', why is it sealed?" Wade shrugged.

"For any number of reasons. Denying access to the chamber to thieves for instance. What I'm curious about is the runes are around the same time as when Arcticoz was abandoned. If they are from the same time, then why didn't they unseal this chamber and take this 'Astral Sword' with them when they left?" Neal looked between the two and sighed.

"Well, if it's something we can use against Axian, I'm all for breaking the seal and then taking the sword and shoving it through his heart, if the bastard actually _has_ one. Any ideas how to open that door?" Wade nodded.

"Scholars like us are taught about seals in the event we ever find any ruins. The Silver Age seals were strong for their time but compared to what Archmage Gartome came up with, they are child's play." He moved over to where a cluster of various colored gemstones were set into the door and started counting the stones.

"It's as easy as one-" He pulled a red stone at the beginning of the line. The red stones turned yellow.

"Two-" He removed a blue stone from the center. The blue and yellow stones turned green.

"Three." He pulled a green stone from the end of the line. The entire line of stones changed from green to clear. Then, there was the sound of a heavy lock releasing, followed by a crack slitting the seemingly solid crystal door from top to bottom. Jone then turned back, beaming.

"Like I said, child's play." He then turned back and started through the door. Spyro, Waldo, Sparx and Neal followed.

The chamber beyond the door looked to be of the same construction as the fort but also had the same blueish ice crystal spread throughout the room. At one end was an old desk covered in dust with a book resting atop it. Across the room was a bookshelf with several tomes, scrolls, and other reading articles. However, what caught Neal's attention was in the rear center of the room.

A platform and altar, made from the same crystal that the door was made of, and a staircase leading up the platform covered in rotting red carpet. Near the desk he heard Wade start speaking.

"Twenty-fifth day of the Snow's End. The ore vein near the summit of the north peak is dry. Similar messages are coming from our other groups in the west and east. The village elders are now going to the fort commander to inform him of the misfortune." Neal looked back to him.

"I take it that's a diary of some sort?" Wade nodded.

"Yes, thankfully, unlike runes, human writing hasn't changed much over the centuries. I can still read this." Neal nodded and then proceeded to the altar while Wade continued.

"Twenty-seventh day of Snow's End. After two days of deliberation, the elders convinced the garrison commander to send a boat to Cold Harbor, informing the Council of the event. It will take roughly two, perhaps three, months for us to get a reply if they hear the message with all due haste and without deliberation. I am not confident we will be so fortunate." Neal looked back to him.

"Anything about the Astral Sword?" Wade flipped through the pages carefully and then nodded.

"Second day of Migration. We had a start today. Those barbarians from Gemvale were spotted trying to breach the pack ice near the reef. Thankfully they misjudged the gap and plowed their ship in between two growlers, small iceburgs. The vessel is a total loss and none survived. Most troubling however is that now we had learned why the instructions about the ore veins was never replied to. The barbarian vessel wreckage has been identified as that of the _Ice Cleaver_ , the ship we sent with the original missive. This means they are growing bolder."

"Second day of Migration, continued. Had a bit of a start. While contemplating what we were to do without the ore to make weapons and armor with which to defend ourselves, a massive heavenly stone split the sky at the twilight hours. It passed neatly between the two moons and crashed (to my best guess) into the north mountain close to where our abandoned mining camp is located. I have sent one of my assistants with the group sent to investigate." Neal motioned to him and nodded.

"Keep going." Wade looked back down and flipped a page.

"Fourth day of Migration. It is remarkable. Simply and utterly remarkable. The star that fell is made of materials that my alchemy and magic cannot discern. I have given a few slivers of the star's metallic body to the fort smithy to see if he can make anything out of it. The star is roughly the size of three wagons and is heavier than twelve of our draft horses. It is a wonder the star didn't simply punch through the mountain and sink beneath the north sea!" Wade looked at the next entry and nodded.

"Nineth day of Migration. The smithy reports a success. Using methods developed by the metal workers in Polaris, he has crafted a sword unlike any other seen before. We have tested it against swords, lances, axes, and hammers made from the ore we found here and the sword completely destroyed them and yet remained undamaged. The sword is a thing of beauty to be sure. The blade is solid black but with flecks of what we've deemed 'star silver' dotting the blade in a pattern that, in my opinion, reinforces the blade to withstand these tests they've subjected it to."

"By my reckoning, and the smithy's experience, there is enough metal from the star to forge at least a hundred such swords."

Neal slowly approached the top of the altar as Wade read and caught his breath.

There, placed with almost loving care on a weapon rack of gold, was a saber. The scabbard was made of laquered wood and was capped in gold. The cupped guard of the sword was made of what looked to be titanium. The pommel was gold and the hilt was wrapped in what appeared to be ray skin.

Carefully, Neal placed his hands on the scabbard and the grip and lifted the sword free of the rack, holding it aloft. Wade looked at the sword and gave a low appreciative whistle.

"That's a sword fit for a king there." Neal gave a smile and nodded, returning his gaze to the sword.

"Why do you suppose they abandoned this particular sword, and if there was enough material for hundreds, why aren't there more of them?" Wade shrugged.

"We lost a lot during the Plague Era. Arcticoz had long since been abandoned, any records of the settlement and any discoveries would have been either at Cold Harbor which was a military port or at Polaris which was not only the capital at that time before Grandis Fortunae and was the city of Artisans and Government. Sadly both of which are, to my limited knowledge, little more than ruins." Neal nodded.

"Add that to my 'To Do' list after we deal with Axian." Wade chuckled.

"Be sure to bring me with you. A chance to discover our lost history? That's a scholar's dream. First Grandis Fortunae, then Blue Waters, and now Arcticoz? It wouldn't surprise me if people started calling you the Reclaimer or something along those lines." Neal chuckled and nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind. Neal Foster, the great Reclaimer... Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like Forger though." Wade chuckled.

"There is that, but still, don't be surprised if a few scholars decide to pin that title to you in the near future." Neal nodded, fastened the sword to his belt, and looked to the others.

"Well, if there's nothing else, I guess let's get out of here and leave the scholars to do what they do best." Spyro nodded and he and Sparx flew to the top of the chamber while Neal climbed the ladder.

Once he reached the top, he saw an outstretched hand and smiled, clasping it, he was pulled upto see his brother smiling at him.

"Good grief Neal, why is it I'm always pulling you out of holes in the ground?" Neal chuckled as his brother embraced him.

"It was one time. One. Just because I wasn't watching where I was going." Danny chuckled.

"I remember you stinking of sewage for three days and milking that broken leg for all it was worth." He then eyed the sword on Neal's belt.

"Since when did you create that?" Neal chuckled.

"I didn't. This sword is what I found down in that hole. It was sealed behind a door in a special chamber. They called it an 'Astral Sword'."

A soft gasp got Neal and Danny's attention and they turned to see Eve with a foreclaw to her muzzle and an expression of horror. Neal looked to her curiously.

"Eve? Is something wrong?" Eve nodded but didn't relax.

"The Astral Swords... those were weapons used by humans during the war... They were also known by another name... Dragon Busters. Swords forged for the sole purpose of killing dragons."


	46. A Difference Of Opinion

Hello everyone, I am sorry for the lack of updates but things around here have been rather hectic lately and that's sugar coating it. I won't go into details but I've just about run my legs off doing this or that and trying to keep my head above water.

Well anyway, managed to hammer this out during a lull in the mid term elections so hopefully it makes up for my absense.

Plus, I've been waiting (somewhat over eagerly) for the Spyro Reignited Trilogy to be released and now here we are only a week away! But enough about that for the moment and on with the story!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 43: A Difference Of Opinion

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Neal froze as Eve uttered those startled words. He gave a reflexive glance to the other dragons in the group. Needless to say, all of them, even the normally calm and collected Terra was eyeing the sword with apprehension. The cheetahs and canines stood calm but tense, the humans with confusion, however, the apes stared at the sword with wonder. Danny came up to him and held out his hand for the sword, which Neal handed to him without a word.

"The workmanship is beautiful, that much is obvious." He turned to Eve. "Why is this sword so feared?" Eve glanced to the sword and visibly shivered.

"I don't know everything but, there's something about either the way the sword was forged, the metal it is made from, or the enchantments placed upon it after quenching that make it immune to elemental magic. Furthermore, the edge never dulls and can cut through anything, even a dragon armored in solid plate isn't safe as again, for reasons that escape me, it passes through armor like a hot knife through butter." She sighed and then changed her gaze to Neal.

"That's not the worst part. The sword, it severs not only the physical threads of life, it also severs the astral or spiritual threads as well. A dragon will live on in the land and with the Ancestors if they are killed with a regular weapon, but if they are killed with an Astral Sword..." Neal started in shock as he understood.

"Their soul is killed as well..." Eve nodded.

"A dragon killed with a sword, or any weapon, like this is doomed to a fate worse than death. The soul simply vanishes as if they never even existed in the first place. They can never join the Ancestors, they cannot contact any of their descendants, they simply... cease to be."

Needless to say, all conversation ceased and now the dragons looked at the blade in fear. Danny nodded, his expression stoic.

"So in other words we could defeat Axian and Shadra, and maybe even Malefor with this sword? As in once and for all?" Neal shook his head.

"We are judged not only by the trials we overcome but also in the manner we overcome them." Danny looked to his brother whose expression was now grim.

"Mind explaining?"

"We _could_ use this sword to defeat our foes, but then once our foes are defeated, what then? This sword, the knowledge of its existance, and the impact of what it can do, would undermine everything we are trying to do." Neal glanced to the dragons with them and tried to smile.

"Our friends here know us well enough that we would never consider using this against any normal dragon, however, any _other_ dragon would not know that and would either avoid us, fear us, or try to eliminate us before we became a threat. Brother, I can't condone using this sword." Danny sighed and nodded.

"I can see where you're coming from with this. I can't imagine what I'd do if Darte was terrified of coming near me again as long as this sword was somewhere at hand." He turned to Eve. "Can it be dismantled?" Eve sadly shook her head.

"My Father tried it once but he said that every sword he attempted it on seemed to just shrug off the spell like it was nothing. They are enchanted to negate any sort of destruction magic cast upon it. He tried everything from rusting, corrosion, even outright physical force. Nothing worked."

Danny and Neal looked to each other and nodded, then Danny started towards the hole intending to drop the sword back into the depths when a loud shout stopped him. He turned to see Geist and Macai standing there with stern expressions.

"Danny, truly you don't intend to discard such a valuable weapon? Even though considering that the dragons are a little _too_ fidgety about it. I mean even if it isn't used, it is still a valuable piece of equipment, right?" Danny sighed but faced them.

"I know what you're thinking Macai, however, are you aware of a situation known as the 'Named Blade'?" Macai nodded and Danny continued.

"It's just like that only the sword in question has a more negative reputation than any other blade. Neal's right about one thing, if someone recognizes the blade and word gets back to the wrong dragon, we could be facing attacks in an effort to sieze and destroy the sword." Macai then frowned.

"If you're attacked, then fight back! Surely no one could blame you for defending yourself?!" This time Toxias spoke up.

"What about those who will use the attack to justify revenge? No matter what you have done, once word gets out you willingly keep a sword that is soley meant for slaying dragons, _everyone_ will be keeping an extra set of eyes on you. I would even hazard a guess to say that you would quickly lose what friends you made in the Guard and among the nobility." Macai frowned and glanced away.

"Bah! Dragons and their politics! I never cease to wonder how you winged lizards get anything done!" Toxias growled low and gave Macai a piercing glare.

"Better than the utter lawlessness and chaos you apes seem to favor!" Macai's frowned deepened and his glare sharpened at Toxias. Danny, seeing the two were likely to come to blows, stepped in and planted himself between the two.

"Enough! We're here to fight Axian, not each other! The moment we start going at each other, Axian and therefore, Malefor, wins! No matter how much we dislike each other, we all have something in common: our combined dislike of Malefor is greater than our hatred for each other!" Neal nodded.

"Danny's right, there's no sense in starting World War Three here. I'm the one who found the sword, and I'm listening to everyone here and I say the majority vote to discard this blade is the choice I make. I am not going to risk alienating my friends, my allies, just for a one hit kill on this bastard!"

The dragons visibly relaxed as Neal walked back to the hole he had climbed out of and, after making sure no one was directly below, dropped the sword back into the hole. Behind him however, Macai glanced to Geist who gave him a short nod that went unobserved. Goro was frowning but deep down inside he understood where the two brothers were talking about and agreed with them.

As the group dispersed to finish their preparations to storm Axian's castle, only Geist and Macai remained behind and then, once they were sure no one was watching, they slowly decended the rope ladder into the cavern below.

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Unaware of what the two apes were planning, Danny had gone back aboard the _Explorer_ to finish getting his supplies packed and replenish his mana. As he waited, the hatch to his cabin opened and Darte walked in, a smile on her face as she wrapped herself around him. He smiled as she rested her head against his chest.

"Cold again?" Darte chuckled and shook her head.

"No, I just figured you might recover your mana faster if I was nearby." Danny gave her a curious expression which made her laugh and then she sighed.

"I was proud of what you said out there, it made me realize I truly did find my perfect mate." She nuzzled him which Danny returned and chuckled.

"I'd be lying if the idea wasn't tempting. Still though, the thought of you being afraid of me because of a stupid sword is unbearable. Besides, something tells me that Malefor may be all too aware that such a sword may still exist and may have protected himself at least from it somehow." Darte shivered at the thought.

"I don't like the sound of that." Then her head popped up as if she heard or sensed something and looked him straight in the eyes.

"You don't think-?" Danny sighed.

"Our ape allies may be tempted to recover the sword? Now that you mention it, I wouldn't doubt the possibility of it." The sound of frantic running got their attention as Neal burst into the cabin, froze for a moment, then shrugged and his expression became serious.

"Geist, Macai, Goro and the other apes recovered the sword from the cavern! They're already heading up the mountain to the castle!" Danny nodded and roused himself from Darte's embrace, checked his mana gauge and nodded.

"If Axian doesn't kill those idiots, I might be tempted to myself!"

As they reached outside, Neal was already buckled on a sword, fastened his pistol belt and was slinging a rifle over his shoulder. Glancing to Danny, Neal motioned to the second rifle nearby.

"When I fought Axian, and before him Ripper, I discovered dragon scales are invulnerable to regular rifle rounds." Danny nodded understandingly.

"So, going against Axian, what caliber you think would work best?" Neal grimaced.

"Since neither of us could handle a fifty caliber for more than a few shots, and Axian isn't the most obliging target, save the rifles and pistols for his minions, and leave the dragon to the dragons."

"Playing support, eh puddle pirate?" Neal stopped at the phrase and smiled.

"So are you squid, so you can't say anything." Lyca, who had overheard this came up.

"What's with the name calling?" Neal chuckled and gave her a quick hug.

"Puddle pirates are what the Navy calls the Coast Guard, and Squid is the joke name for a sailor in the Navy. Normally it's an insult but between brothers it's just a joke." Lyca relaxed when she heard that and smiled.

"Okay then. Oh, just so you know, I'm not going to hang back with the scholars, I'm going with you." Neal nodded.

"Kinda expected you would. And I know that argueing is pointless. Besides, Domino and Rivet are in there. Both of us together have a better chance of finding them." Lyca nodded and hefted one of the spears that Neal had previously Forged and spun it around experimentally before nodding.

"It's a little forward heavy but I think I can manage." Neal nodded and chambered the first round in his rifle.

"Alright then Lyca, let's go get our kids."

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(meanwhile, halfway up the ridge to the castle...)

Geist held the sword aloft as the wyvern dived again.

This time, however, the blade managed to connect, slashing the creature's left wing severely enough that it couldn't recover and crashed into some old wreckage nearby. Gazing back, he couldn't help but curse. Since leaving the camp and starting up towards the castle, they had been ambushed at least eight times and had so far lost seven warriors. He saw Goro coming to him and knew what the old ape was going to say.

"We should hold here and wait for the others, right?" Goro frowned but nodded.

"It's as clear as anything Axian expects trouble, why else would he string along several ambushes like this? Plus, that second wyvern managed to shake off my paralysis spell and fly back to the castle. I can almost guarantee that Axian will either show himself or send a stronger force to overwhelm us." Macai overheard as he approached and snorted, sending steam from his nostrils.

"Axian may be a sadist but he's also a coward, he will not show himself so early in the battle. He will wait until he has the clear advantage and then strike."

"Then why not strike where he leasts expects you to?"

The apes whirled at the sound of the new voice and Goro went wide eyed at the figure before them.

"You?"


	47. Semper Paratus

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 44: Semper Paratus

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For Neal and the group, following Geist and Macai was easy. All they had to do was follow the partially snow-covered bodies of evil apes and wyverns and dreadwings up towards the castle. However, as they reached the halfway point, the trail suddenly vanished, with the exception of a massive star-shaped scorch mark in the snow that, according to a human mage with them, was indicative of a teleportation spell. A powerful one.

The trail with the spell mark ended at a fork in the path. On the left, the path led right up towards the front gate. The center path led into a series of mine entrances. The right path led on a trail that seemingly led around to the back of the castle. Danny glanced at the paths and frowned.

"My money is on at least two of these paths being trapped. The front gate is obvious, the way around back is a good secondary. If the path through those mines leads into the castle it's a good way but once inside those tunnels there's no telling what'll happen or what we'll find." Neal glanced to his brother and nodded.

"I don't think we're too few to split up but I really don't want to risk it. If there are indeed traps ahead, splitting up may prove a mistake as any group that's ambushed may not be able to fight off the attack." Spyro glanced at the paths before them and nodded.

"Still though, if we're to stop Axian and rescue Domino and Rivet then splitting up to cover more ground may be the best solution." Danny nodded.

"That's what I was thinking. How about this then; the other humans, Darte, and I will storm the front. Spyro, you and Cynder and the other dragons can take the back. Neal, you and Lyca and Skylar go into the mine and see where you come out at." Neal nodded, understanding.

"If the dungeon is where Axian is keeping any prisoners, there's a chance the mines might connect to the dungeon." Danny nodded just as Terra came up.

"Well then in that case I think it would be best if I went with you through the mines in the event you need some earth moved." Neal nodded and then looked to the group.

"Alright then, we have our plan. Let's confuse the enemy with which way we are coming and the first group to find Macai and Geist, knock their heads together."

There was a few chuckles from the group before they started off on their own directions. As they stepped into the mine, Neal channeled some mana into the staff to illuminate the tunnel and then turned back to Lyca, Skylar, and Terra.

"Well, here we go."

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(meanwhile, inside the fortress)

Rivet grunted in frustration as he tried to call forth his abilities again for what seemed to Domino like the millionth time. Axian had taken great care to make sure both her and her brother were drained of mana before throwing them into this cell. However, slowly but surely, they were recovering their power. Rivet had been able to move the iron bars of their cell door by at least three inches. Given the poor state of the other cell doors, Domino felt it highly unlikely that one of the random patrols wouldn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

As Rivet growled lowly and worked at shifting the metal that framed and supported the door, Domino eased back to the wall and lightly scratched at it, getting the attention of the only other dragon in the area: her long lost brother.

"Frost. Frost, are you awake?" The voice that came back was weary and muffled.

"Yeah... I'm here Domi. How's Riv doing?"

"Good, I think he weakened the door a little more. Still a way to go. How about you; recovered your strength yet?" There was a cough from the room and a sigh.

"Not as much as I would have liked. Bah, an ice dragon catching a cold. So then, about what we've been talking about..." Domino smiled faintly and nodded.

"Yeah, so then... what do you want to know about him?" There was a short coughing fit before Frost spoke again.

"Everything. Is he being nice to you and Riv? Supportive?"

"Yeah. Neal he... we met him when one of the Guards had caught us trying to... well... we were trying to steal some food and the Guards caught us. One of them had restrained Rivet too tightly and he collapsed. Neal, seeing this, rushed foward and cut the bonds even though the Guard was about to attack him. After that he took custody of us, gave us a home, got us enrolled in school. We're learning from the _Guardians_ themselves and even have met Spyro and Cynder on occasion." She stopped for a moment and sighed.

"In a way, it's almost as if Dad never left us... I've wanted my family back so much..."

If there hadn't been a wall seperating them, Domino would have seen tears coming to her brother's eyes.

"I'm so sorry Domi. You and Riv have gone through so much... I should have listened to Dad and escaped with you... Instead I was a fool and tried to avenge them... and got myself captured in the first place..." Domino gasped and shook her head.

"No brother, don't say that! You had no way of knowing this would happen!" Domino then thought of something and sighed.

"Frost... are you going to... I mean... when we get out of here..."

What Domino was about to ask was silenced when she heard something. It wasn't the apes, they used the stairs leading up. It couldn't be grublins as the ground was way too cold for them. This sound, whatever it was, came from the opposite end of the hall. A dead end.

The sound of bricks falling was the next sound and then-

"Okay, I guess that tunnel _did_ lead somewhere. Terra, Lyca, Skylar, the three of you good?"

"Yeah, we're good Neal, however, I think you must have been hit by some rock though; you're arm's bleeding." There was a chuckle.

"This scratch? Hah, just rub some dirt on it and I'll be fine... Terra, I didn't mean that _literally_."

"Where is this?"

"Looks like the dungeon..."

"Okay, everyone start checking cells, Domino and Rivet have to be here somewhere. Also, be on the lookout for a young ice dragon named Frost, he's Domino and Rivet's big brother. We save everyone."

Domino felt her heart swell in her chest as tears came into her eyes. Rivet looked to her with a similar expression and she couldn't help herself she ran for the door.

"Neal! Over here!"

The sound of footsteps running came up and Domino found herself staring teary-eyed at her adopted Father. Neal gave a quick nod.

"Found them! Domino, you and Rivet step back from the door!"

The two dragonets did as instructed and heard Neal mutter a spell. With a sudden burst of sparks, the lock on the door burst into pieces and the door swung open seemingly of its own volition. The two then rushed out and tackled Neal to the floor crying in relief and embracing him. Neal chuckled and returned the embrace to his two kids.

Then, as he (reluctantly) broke the embrace, Domino pointed to the door on the other side of the cell.

"Frost, our brother, he's in there. He said he's been sick with a cold though." Neal nodded mentally steeled himself and pointed his staff at the lock and spoke the same spell he sis earlier.

 _"Loke Berakc."_

A similar burst of sparks heralded the destruction of the lock and Neal swung the door open and scanned the room. There, huddled in a corner under a ratty sack cloth blanket, was a dragon just a little bigger than Domino. He slowly walked forward and lay a hand on the blanket.

"Frost? Are you awake?" There was movement under the blanket and a saphire blue head with five chipped horns turned to look at him. When he spoke, his voice was painfully weak.

"So... you are the human who adopted my siblings... Well, I guess you came here expecting me to be furious, wanting to challenge you, fight you. You can rest easy, I have no intention of breaking their hearts... Truth be told, I was holding on to what little life I have left in me so that I could speak with the one they so admired... Now that I know they are safe, I can finally rest." Neal frowned.

"You're not really sick with a cold are you?" There was a coarse laugh.

"Of course not. An _ice_ dragon catching a cold? Preposterous... no... I just said that so Domi wouldn't worry about me. I've been tortured, exposed to dark crystals which have drained my mana to the point I am barely alive. I doubt any amount of healing crystals can save me now." Neal's frown turned into a grimace upon hearing this young dragon about to give up his fight.

Then, his resolve and conviction grew strengthened.

"No, Domino and Rivet have lost enough, I won't let them lose you Frost." He slid his arms under the weakened dragon and, despite being the size of a Newfoundland, was surprisingly light. Frost protested meekly but Neal had made his mind up.

As neal carried Frost out of the room, Domino and Rivet started sobbing sadly until Neal turned to them.

"Don't worry, I'm not letting the two of you lose your brother."

Neal had Skylar and Lyca hold Frost while he created a cot to lay him down on and a better blanket to cover him with. Then, he grasped his staff again and summoned Eve's Book to his side and immediately flipped to the spellbook of Gartome.

"The majority of his injuries are physical but the exhaustion is what's also taking its toll. I'm going to use a spell to not only relieve his exhaustion but also rejuvenate him and heal his wounds... There!"

He stopped on a spell that, though required a good deal of mana, was exactly what he needed. Focusing on his staff and placing his free hand on Frost's side. He carefully channeled his mana into the spell and muttered the spell. Eve appeared beside him, her expression serious as she looked over the young dragon and then back to Neal.

 _"I recall something about humans chanting poems or songs while using their powerful healing spells to focus on them more thoroughly. If you have anything in mind, you might try doing that so the magic can work."_ Neal nodded, his mind immediately thinking back to the anthem of the USCG and he couldn't help but start to sing lowly as the magic went to work:

*8*8*8*

' _We're always ready for the Call! We place our trust in Thee!'_

 _'Through surf and storm and howling gale! High shall our purpose be!'_

 _'Semper Paratus is our Guide! Our fame and glory too!'_

 _'To fight to save or fight and die, aye! Coast Guard, we are for you!'_

 _'Aye we've been 'Always Ready', to do, to fight or die!'_

 _'Write glory to the shields we wear in letters to the sky!'_

 _'To sink the foe or save the maimed, our mission and our pride!'_

 _'To carry on 'till Kingdom Come, ideals for which we've died!'_

 _'From Aztec shore to Arctic zone, to Europe and Far East!_

 _'The flag is carried by our ships in times of war and peace!'_

 _'And never have we struck it yet, in spite of foeman's might!'_

 _'Who cheered our crews and cheered again for showing how to fight!'_

*8*8*8*

Frost didn't know what to think. Sure he suddenly felt immeasurably warm and the pain from his wounds and the evidence of his mistreatment were fading away, but yet here was a human who was doing this of his own free will. That wasn't the half of it though, beside him, surrounded by an aura of midnight blue light, was the most beautiful dragoness he'd ever seen. His sharpening eyesight took in every little detail of her that he could from the way her horns were curved to her body shape to her flanks, where her scales marked her as a Forge Dragon, the elegent gossamer appearance of her wings, and her long elegant tail that swooped around gracefully.

He immediately resolved to recover just for the chance to get to know this dragoness better. However, he was so closely looking at her that he failed to see Eve looking back at him with an almost similar expression.

Then, exhaution started to overcome him and frost sank into an deep, and restful, sleep in which the dragoness, Eve, filled his dreams and gave him hope for a future to come.

As soon as Frost closed his eyes and sank into slumber, Eve turned to look at Neal with a fierce determination.

 _"Neal, you said once that, if possible, you would find a way to unbind me from the Book?"_ Neal looked at her and nodded tiredly, the healing spell taking a good bit out of him.

"My promise still stands. Why? Is something the matter?" Eve paused for a moment and then sighed.

 _"When I looked at Frost, I suddenly felt something stirring inside me. You know technically, since I've been sealed in this Book, I haven't aged a day. I'm still the eighteen year old dragoness I was all those centuries ago."_ Neal paused and glanced between her and Frost's sleeping form and then gave a grin as he understood.

"Let me guess, love at first sight?" Eve fidgeted nervously.

 _"Something like that."_

From elsewhere, an explosion shook the fortress to its foundations and both Eve and Neal glanced at each other and said one thing in perfect unison.

"Danny."

 _"Danny."_

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(outside the castle, at the front gate)

Danny stood in front of a group of awestruck humans who were gaping at the huge hole that the cannon had made. The six inch shell fired from the Forged Italian Model 1877 Siege Gun had not only done a fair enough job of clearing the portcullis, it had sailed clean through and punched a hole into the castle itself! As the humans slowly regained their wits, Danny smiled to them and pointed to the hole in the castle.

"Think that got their attention or should I give 'em another?"

One of the human mages pointed to (what was left of) the portcullis and Danny saw it being raised and several apes and other creatures starting to pour our of the fortress. He glanced to the human he had hastily trained on how to load and shoot the cannon and then Forged himself a Thompson SMG and glanced back to the hostiles incoming.

"Now we get to have some fun." Darte smiled as he said that and, taking a deep breath, released a thick, rolling cloud of poisonous green fog that gave off an odd odor of chlorine. When Danny looked at her curiously she smiled.

"It's an advanced technique of my species. I don't have to coat my fangs in venom and risk bodily harm when I can expell venomous fog to kill silently and without risk to myself. One good thing that Mother has taught me at least." Danny suddenly got an idea and smiled.

"Is the gas flammable?" Darte nodded to him and, raising his hand on which his focus crystal was fixed, Danny uttered the very same spell Neal had first envoked.

 _"Dartus Flamere!"_

The flame dart struck the gas cloud which ignited easily, creating a fireball of such magnitude that, for a moment, Danny worried he might have overdone it. The apes and others caught in the fireball were thrown backwards, leaving charred impressions on the walls as the flames rolled back. Then, the artillery piece fired again, this time though the shell went high due to the recoil and struck the small tower behind the gate.

The tower, now missing a chunk of its west side, leaned, buckled, and finally collapsed down onto the west side of the castle sending up a massive cloud of debris, dust, powder snow, and pulverized ice. Danny froze, his expression one of shock.

"Whoo boy, _now_ we overdid it."

A roar of pure rage erupted from the castle as, lo and behold, Axian burst from the ruins of the west side and shot upwards like a bolt of vengeance, his one good eye blazing with fury as he homed in on what had just laid waste to a good portion of his castle. When Danny felt that Axian had caught sight of him, he remained looking at Axian defiantely but uttered one word...

"Run."


	48. Axian

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.

Chapter 45: Axian

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 _"Are you sure you wish to do this? Why remain there? Come back to me here."_

Axian sighed as he recalled the last time he had spoken to Shadra.

It had been a week ago, at the rebuilt citadel at Concurrent Skies. She had tried to dissuade him from overseeing the completion of the new fortress in Dante's Freezer. The fact that, for the first time in centuries, scrying magic was able to pierce the Forgotten Sea and the knowledge that humans were still in existance had unnerved her to say the least.

...

Not that he _didn't_ share her fear, having been raised by dragons who, unlike the rest of dragonkind, actually bothered to trace their lineage back to the original Council that had almost eradicated humankind in the first place.

As the sole remaining descendant of Sarvax, one of the dragons who had originally devised the plan to eradicate all humans, the fact that his ancestor had so blatently failed made the meal he had recently eaten turn sour in his belly. Not only were there _two_ Forgers, but now human civilization, rather a small part, was revealed to have survived. Plus there was the matter of the ape known as Geist, not to mention everything that Shadra had fallen behind schedule which was not pleasing to _him_ at all.

Still, the reason for her falling behind had been obvious the last time he saw her. He was pleased but at the same time apprehensive. He knew that the whole reason for he and Shadra being mated was to prepare for the future.

The grublins and apes in the Dark Lands had found the remains of the Well of Souls. They had also found the crystal in which Malefor had been imprisoned.

He was dormant, but still awake. And he wanted _out_ of the prison, whatever the cost.

After the escape of both Forgers, Axian and Shadra had been brought before Malefor and informed of a way to help Malefor escape his imprisonment that did not require a Forger. However, this method required a certain sacrifice on their part.

A sacrifice that even the two dragons, for all their loyalty to Malefor, were unsure they could bear.

The ritual with the Forgers was simple, they simply had to create a tool that, according to Malefor, had to match the 'resonance frequency' of the crystal to shatter it, freeing him. The sacrifice though, that ritual delved into what Axian and Shadra knew was closer to Blood magic and Necromancy than they were comfortable with.

In short, they needed a vessel, something with which to hold Malefor's essense, his soul. And in Malefor's mind there was only one suitable vessel: a dragon egg. And since the hatcheries for dragonkind were now located in fortress-like buildings guided by small volunteer armies, stealing an egg was impossible.

That left creating an egg of their own...

When Axian had last seen his mate there was no concealing the bulge of her abdomen that was clearly an egg taking shape. It would be another three months before the egg would be layed and another eleven months before it hatched. During those eleven months, the egg, his and Shadra's child, would be set before Malefor's crystal. Slowly, the life within the egg would be infused with Malefor's essense, replacing that of the hatchling's with his own.

The egg would hatch a normal dragonet, however, it would be a purple dragonet with Malefor's soul, his experience, his wisdom. It was unclear whether the child would retain his memories, but that point was moot. It would remain unknown until the child reached maturity. Axian snarled at himself in frustration.

 _(I was perfectly content to follow Malefor as long as he followed through with his word. But still... to sacrifice Shadra's egg, our_ _ **child**_ _, so that he can live again? I must redouble my efforts to capture the Forgers so that it doesn't become nessessary. Maybe I should try to convince Shadra to come to me and we can forget that insane plan...)_

A loud explosion from outside shook Axian from his thoughts as he growled and rose to prepare to see what was going on. Then, without warning, a second explosion echoed and he realized what was happening.

What he didn't expect was for a tower to crash through the roof and shower him in debris.

Angry at having a tower dropped on him, Axian spread his wings and with a roar leaped into the air, his sheer strength scattering debris, dust, snow and ice in all directions. As he rose, he turned his head to see what had attacked and saw, of all things, the same human who once had the nerve to shoot a cannon at him.

Daniel Foster.

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Heeding Daniel's advice, the humans with him broke and ran, abandoning the cannon and taking cover behind several rock outcroppings before Axian unleashed his icy breath upon them. However, out of the blue came hurdling several dragons to close with Axian.

Spyro was first, using fire to get Axian's attention. He was quickly followed by Cynder and Toxias who both used poison. Lastly was Growler who was firing ice needles with enough volume and speed to make Danny think of a machinegun for some reason. That got him to thinking as he withdrew to try and figure out a way he could help from the ground.

Without a word, he flipped through the Book and started examining what he could or could not do. The cannon had drained his mana reserves a bit but he had enough remaining to create a modified version of the rifle that Neal had used against Ripper.

A panzergewehr appeared in a flash before him but this rifle was notably different. For one, the barrel was a lot shorter and it had a carrying handle fitted to the side. Second, while Neal's rifle had been single shot, this one had a small five round gravity magazine fitted to the top of the bolt-action mechanism. Lastly, the stock had been cushioned to the extreme and the scope had been removed in favor of simple iron sights.

It still used the heavy .50 caliber round which was a plus but still in order to make the weapon carry-capable by one person, he had to reduce the weight.

Jumping behind a large rock, he rested the rifle on top of the crest and leveled the sights at Axian as he stopped to breathe in to release a breath of ice. Squeezing the trigger, the rifle jumped in his arm with the recoil, sending the round high and just over Axian's head but the report did the job just as well as a bullet.

Axian ducked his head, swallowed the frost with a stunned yelp and then turned an icy glare to Danny as he hastily reloaded the rifle. The distraction was enough that Spyro and Cynder managed to land fire and venom attacks across Axian's back, making him snarl in pain and fury as he attempted to turn and pursue.

Danny, having chambered a new round, fired again, this time the round struck home, splitting scales across where Spyro's flames had hit where Axian's tail and hips joined.

The evil dragon bucked in midair, feeling hot pain lance across his flanks and turned again to try and reposition himself to get a better angle of attack. However, just as he turned, he caught movement and turned in time to see Terra clear a way for Neal, Lyca, and the kids coming up from the dungeon. He smiled wickedly and started to exhale cold breath in their direction.

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Neal saw Axian starting to exhale his breath at them and immediately stopped and glanced Terra.

"Get clear!" Was all he shouted as he conjured a massive steel shell that encompassed Lyca and the kids and shielded them from the frost and Terra managed to get clear in time and launch a barrage of stone spikes upwards at Axian. Unfortunately her aim was off somewhat and aside from three piercing the membrane of his wings, the others missed.

Inside the metal shell, Neal used some of his remaining mana to create another modified .50 cal rifle (the Book having shown the blueprint to him as soon as Danny had created it), then he dispelled the shell, took aim with the rifle and fired, forcing Axian to evade as now he was being surrounded and attacked from all sides. He reloaded quickly and grimaced as Axian roared again and turned a look behind him.

"Lyca! Skylar! Get the kids out of here!" Lyca nodded and motioned for Domino and Rivet to follow while Skylar helped Frost move out of the way. Domino however looked at Neal with pleading eyes.

"We want to help!" Neal glanced at her having expected as much and shook her head.

"I know you do but right now I need the three of you out of harm's way." Domino grimaced at that and Neal suddenly feared she'd do something reckless so he thought of an idea.

"I'll tell you what, you want to help? Keep an eye on your brothers for me, Frost is still too weak and Rivet likely doesn't know how to fight yet, right? Help me by keeping them safe for me." Domino looked to her injured brother and then to her little brother who was wide-eyed with fear as Axian tried again to circle back and attack them again and then gave Neal a nod.

"Take him down... Dad."

As Domino turned and ran towards Lyca and her siblings, what she said hit home to Neal and he felt a newfound strength welling up inside him. He set the rifle aside, summoned his staff, and with a tap on the ground illuminated the crystal which made not only Axian but everyone look at him.

 _"Axian!"_ Neal's voice boomed loud enough to momentarily startle even him but he remained unfazed and leveled the staff at the evil dragon.

 _"I will not let you harm these children, or anyone else ever again!"_ Axian sneered at the declaration and turned his gaze on him.

"How will you do this, eh? Your weapons cannot hit me if I simply evade them, and I doubt your pitiful human magic could do anything-"

Neal made a pass with the staff and in his mind, he saw a vision. A hooded mage stood before a dragon he had never seen before. The mage lifted his focus, a poleaxe with the crystal embedded in the haft just above where the mage gripped it.

 _'You started this, dragon, now I'm finishing it!'_ _The dragon snarled confidently._

 _'So sure of that are you? Look at yourself, the plague is almost run its course through you. I doubt you will last the day.' The mage coughed, and spat a thick globule of blood from his mouth before returning his glare to the dragon._

 _'I realize that Sarvax. Your plague will indeed be the death of me as it has been for so many others. However, if you think I will simply submit and let myself be made a slave, you are mistaken! We are humans! We bend the knee only to our gods and our king!'_

 _The mage raised the poleaxe._

 _'Terras Vallen!'_

 _A stone wall rose from behind Sarvax who grinned at what he percieved as a waste of magic until the mage flipped the focus again and intoned a different spell._

 _'Freist Darten!'_

 _A series of icicles shot from the blade faster than Sarvax could react and pinned his wings to the stone wall behind him, then two more pinned his forelegs and then his hindlegs and tail until he was splayed on the wall and vulnerable, his wounds bleeding freely. Seeing the sight of his own blood apparently was too much for Sarvax, his arrogance vanishing and panic taking its place._

 _'Y-You fool! You can't take the cure by force! It must be_ _ **willingly**_ _given!' The mage nodded then channeled more mana into the blood pool, freezing it and lifting it up, shaping it into a spear of pure crimson as he hefted it._

 _'So I've been told. The cure must be willingly given and accepted. Thus the master-servant bond is created. It is blood magic pure and simple. However, consider this my message to you and all dragonkind, we humans would rather perish than submit! Congratulate yourself Sarvax while you still can, for you may have brought humanity to its knees, but you failed to subjugate us!' The mage glanced at the trapped dragon and smiled as he realized Sarvax was coming to the realization of the consequences of his actions._

 _'There are those in far flung areas who will never know the plague's touch, and there are those who, somehow, will be naturally immune to it. These will be the embers that will rekindle humanity's flame. You will never exterminate or enslave us. Not that you or I will live to see this occur.'_

 _The mage broke into another coughing fit which subsided after a moment but left his hand, chin, and front of his robe bloody. After recovering, he grimaced before another fit took hold and cast the blood spear forward with no hint of the strength he possessed. The lance moved slowly, almost lazily, giving Sarvax the illusion it would fall far short of doing any harm, yet it pierced Sarvax's heart with ease. Sarvax's eyes widened in shock and pain, he opened his maw and gave out one gasping rattle before falling silent, his head slumping to the side and the spikes that held him dissolving as the mage who cast the spell passed into the void..._

Neal blinked as the vision faded and saw his staff glowing a muted blue color. He hefted it much the same way he saw the mage do and then intoned the very same spell.

 _"Freist Darten!"_

Darts of ice shot forth seemingly out of nowhere, completely surprising Axian and as he tried to dodge, one of the spears caught his right wing in the joint, breaking it and sending him plummeting towards the ground. He crashed hard in the ruins of the tower and skidded across the ground until another wall stopped him and he lay there in a stunned, inglorious heap.

Neal released the magic and sighed, allowing the power to fade back into the focus and glanced at Terra who nodded, sensing his intent to have Axian answer for what he had done.

"Growler! Toxis! Take Axian into custody!"

The two dragons descended but before they reached the ground, Axian rose, froth roiling from his maw, his face contorted with absolute, unbridled rage and indignation.

"I will not be defeated! Not by the likes of you! You humans were a problem back when my ancestor, Sarvax, helped devise the plan to eradicate every last one of you and you are a problem now!" Neal froze, suddenly understanding what Axian had just said. Axian continued however, frost and ice beginning to build over his scales as he prepared to unleash a full-power Ice Fury.

"I am Axian, last descendant of Councilor Sarvax, and last of his bloodline! You humans are beneath me! You dragons who would ally with them, befriend them, _mate_ with them! _You_ are all _TRAITORS_ to your race! Malefor will return, and with his return, humanity will finally be reduced to ash as it should have been all those centuries ago!"

Then, at that moment, a flash of magic momentarily blinded the group and Neal faintly saw Bianca amongst a group of apes. Geist was at the forefront and in his hand... was the Astral Sword.

Geist strode towards Axian and grimaced as Axian saw the blade and fear registered on his muzzle.

"Axian, I am Known as Geist, but I have another name. I am the youngest son of Gaul, the Ape King, and I share his name. You and Malefor have trod upon us for the last time, and now, with this blade, we shall end you!"

Geist, _Gaul_ , threw the sword at Axian and pierced his chest , sinking effortlessly into the dragon's body to the hilt.

To Neal's horror, it was exactly as Eve had described it. The sword easily _glided_ through the scales and bone, slicing Axian's heart in half as the blade passed through almost as if it was _guided_ to it. Worse however, was how the light in Axian's eye started to grow dim, but suddenly the entire eye went jet black.

Axian's head jerked back, his entire body going rigid, and a scream the likes of which Neal had never heard, or thought possible for a living creature to make, erupted from Axian's maw. The scream was one of absolute dispair, fear, anguish, pain, and hopelessness and despite himself, he suddenly began to feel sorrow at what he was witnessing.

Then, the body fell to the side and was silent, but black fog began bubbling up from the wound around the sword as if something inside was being burned. Then, every single scale on Axian's body cracked as if it were made of fine glass. Blood oozed up from in between the scales and the body seemed to decay and shrivel up right before their eyes.

Within moments, Axian was little more than a bag of scales and bones, seemingly mummified in the span of seconds, the sword still protruding from his chest and glowing ominously as if somehow pleased with itself.

The display was so grotesque that even Gaul backed away in fear, cursing himself for a fool and demanding answers from Goro and Bianca who were just as horrified as everyone else. One by one the dragons descended into the ruins but none went near Axian for fear the sword might actually have a mind of its own and seek to slay _them_. Neal cradled Domino, Rivet and had a comforting hand on Frost, his eyes locked on the remains.

Axian's body was dead, that much was certain. What Neal, and everyone else, had just witnessed, was the undeniable death of Axian's soul...


End file.
